Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Aloe vera


SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION

Kingdom: Plantae
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta
Superdivision: Spermatophyta
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Subclass: Liliidae
Order: Liliales
Family: Liliaceae / Aloeaceae
Genus:
Aloe
Species: Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f

SYNONYMS

Aloe barbadensis Mill.
Aloe indica Royle
Aloe perfoliata L. var. vera
Aloe vulgaris Lam.
Aloe barbados


COMMON NAMES

Chinese Aloe, Indian Aloe, True Aloe, Barbados Aloe, Burn Aloe, First Aid Plant, Wand of Heaven, Miracle Plant, Lily of the Desert, Elephant's Gall

Aloe vera

VERNACULAR NAMES

Malay: Lidah Buaya, Jadam
English: Bitter Aloe, Burn Plant, Cape Aloe, Mediterranean Aloe, Plant of Immortality, Plant of Life, True Aloe, Venezuela Aloe, Aloe Latex, Aloe Mucilage, Mocha Aloes, Zanzibar Aloe
Chinese: Lu-Hui, Hsiang-Dan
Sanskrit: Kumari
Tamil: Kattavala, Rattabolam, Cenkarralai, Katrazhai Pal, Katrazhai, Irattapolam, Kariyapolam, Karralai, Aralai
Hindi: Ghikanuar
Bengali: Ghrit Kumari
Nepalese: Kunhur
Sinhalese: Komarika
Japanese: Aloe ferox
German: Aloe
Arabian: Subr
Others:
Carrisyn, Hirukattali, CuraƧao aloe, Ghai kunwar, Ghikumar, Kumari, Lahoi, Laloi, Musabbar, Natal aloes, Nohwa, Rokai, Sabilla, Savila, Socotrine Aloe, Za'bila

PARTS USED

Whole plant, dried juice of leaves, pulp and root

Aloe vera



INTRODUCTION

Aloe vera, also known as the Medicinal Aloe, is a species of succulent plant that probably originated in northern Africa. The species is frequently cited as being used in herbal medicine since the beginning of the first century AD, because it is mentioned in the New Testament (John 19:39–40 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes... ).

Aloe vera has a long association with herbal medicine, although it is not known when its medical applications were first discovered. Early records of A. vera use appear in the Ebers Papyrus from 16th century BCE, in both Dioscorides' De Materia Medica and Pliny the Elder's Natural History written in the mid-first century CE along with the Juliana Anicia Codex produced in 512 CE. Aloe vera’s use can be traced back 6,000 years to early Egypt, where the plant was depicted on stone carvings.

Known as the “plant of immortality,” aloe was presented as a burial gift to deceased pharaohs. The Greeks and Romans used Aloe vera to treat wounds. In the Middle Ages, the yellowish liquid found inside the leaves was favored as a purgative.

Extracts from A. vera are widely used in the cosmetics and alternative medicine industries, being marketed as having rejuvenating, healing or soothing properties. Aloe vera are also used in alternative medicines and in home first aids. Both the translucent inner pulp and the resinous yellow exudate from wounding the A.vera plant are used externally to relieve skin discomforts.

Today, the gel found in the leaves is used for soothing minor burns, wounds, and various skin conditions like eczema and ringworm. The gel's effect is nearly immediate; it also applies a layer over wounds that is said to reduce the chance of any infection.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Aloe vera



HISTORY

Aloes are members of Liliaceae and are mostly succulents with a whorl of elongated, pointed leaves. There are over 360 accepted species. Some species are tree-like with long stems, while others are small, with their leaves at ground level .

The genus name was derived from the Arabic alloeh meaning "bitter" because of the bitter liquid found in the leaves. The species name vera means true or genuine. Some literature identifies the white spotted form of A. vera as A. vera var. chinensis, however, the species varies widely with regard to leaf The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 as Aloe perfoliata var. vera, and was described again, twice, in 1768 by Nicolaas Laurens Burman and Philip Miller. Burman described the species as Aloe vera in Flora Indica on the 6th of April, 1768 while Miller described the species as Aloe barbadensis some ten days later in the Gardener's Dictionary.

Aloe vera


WHAT IS ALOE VERA

Aloe vera is extracted from the aloe plant and has been credited with the ability to serve a medicinal purpose. Aloe is a succulent that can be grown indoors or outdoors. Aloe vera is used in many forms for its soothing and anti-inflammatory properties. It has been used for centuries as a home remedy.

Aloe vera that comes directly from the plant is a yellowish liquid. It can be obtained by simply breaking off a piece of the Aloe vera plant. The liquid will run out and can be applied topically. The leaves can also be crushed and used as a salve.

The healing properties of aloe vera come from the 18 amino acids it contains. It is used to heal skin that has been damaged. A common usage is to sooth sunburned skin. Aloe vera can also be made into juices, gels, powders and is often added to products. It can be found in cosmetics, shampoos, lotions and many other common household products. The many benefits of Aloe vera are not fully researched as of yet.

The healing uses of Aloe vera have also been studied internally. When taken in a capsule form, Aloe vera has proven to be a cure for constipation. Some people have found it to be a helpful cure for acne. Others simply love the way it adds softness to the skin. Other uses are currently unproven, but many people still rely on A.vera to cure a range of common ailments.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Aloe vera












MORPHOLOGY

A. vera is a stemless or very short-stemmed succulent plant growing to 60–100 cm (24–39 in) tall, spreading by offsets. Mature plant can grow as tall as 2 m with the average being around 1 m in length. Each plant usually has 12 to 6 leaves, that when mature, may weigh up to 1 to 1.5 kg. The leaves are lanceolate, thick and fleshy, green to grey-green, with some varieties showing white flecks on the upper and lower leaf surfaces. The margin of the leaf is serrated and has small white teeth. The flowers are produced in summer on a spike up to 90 cm (35 in) tall, each flower pendulous, with a yellow tubular corolla 2–3 cm (0.8–1.2 in) long. The tissue in the center of the aloe leaf contains a gel which yields aloe gel or aloe vera gel. Like other Aloe species, A. vera forms arbuscular mycorrhiza, a symbiosis that allows the plant better access to mineral nutrients in soil.




Aloe vera




















ANATOMY OF THE LEAF

The epidermis of the leaves has a trick cuticle, and beneath is a zone of chlorenchyma. The central bulk of the leaf contains the colourless mucilaginous pulp, made up of large thin-walled mesophyll cells containing the A.vera gel itself. Along the junction between the pulp and the chlorenchyma are arranged the numerous vascular bundles, with accompanying inner bundle sheath cells, the bundle sheath cells at the phloem poles are thin-walled and axially elongated, and contain the bitter yellow sap which exudes from the leaves when they are cut.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Aloe vera

DISTRIBUTION

A.vera is native to North Africa in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, the Mediterranean region of southern Europe and to the Canary Islands. The species was introduced to China, India, Pakistan and various parts of southern Europe in the 17th century.

Aloe vera occurs over most of Africa, Southern Arabia and Madagascar, but not in rain forest regions or dry deserts. It has been cultivated in Madagascar and from there have reached as far as Japan in the east and America in the west. The plant is distributed throughout India. It has become completely naturalized, especially in the hot dry valley North-Western Himalayas. The species is also widely naturalised elsewhere, occurring in temperate and tropical regions of Australia, Barbados, Belize, Nigeria, Paraguay and the USA.

Aloe vera


CULTIVATION

A. vera has been widely grown as an ornamental plant. The species is popular with modern gardeners as a putatively medicinal plant and due to its interesting flowers, form and succulence. This succulence enables the species to survive in areas of low natural rainfall, making it ideal for rockeries and other low-water use gardens.

The species is intolerant of very heavy frost or snow. A.vera is relatively resistant to most insect pests, though mealy bugs, scale insects and aphids species may cause a decline in plant health.

In pots, the species requires well-drained sandy potting soil and bright sunny conditions. The use of a good quality commercial propagation mix or pre-packaged "cacti and succulent mixes" are recommended as they allow good drainage.

Potted plants should be allowed to completely dry prior to re-watering. During winter, A. vera may become dormant, during which little moisture is required. In areas that receive frost or snow the species is best kept indoors or in heated glasshouses. Large scale agricultural production of A. vera is undertaken in Australia, Mexico, India, Jamaica, Kenya and South Africa, along with the USA to supply the cosmetics industry with A.vera gel.

Aloe vera



SOIL

The plant is hardy and grows on a variety of soil. Sandy coastal to loamy soils of the plains with a pH value of up to 8.5 is most suitable for their growth. The waterlogged conditions and problematic soils are not suitable for their cultivation.

CLIMATE

The plants are cultivated between March and June. The plant has a wide adaptability and can be seen growing in warm, humid or dry climate with even 150-200 cm to about 35-40 cm of yearly rainfall during the growing period. However, in dry regions, the crop should be provided with protective irrigation.

PROPAGATION

A.vera is generally propagated by root-suckers or rhizome cuttings.

Aloe vera



ACTIVE INGREDIENTS

From the Gel:

Water• 20 minerals• 12 vitamins• 18 amino acids• 200 active plant compounds (phytonutrients), including:• Enzymes• Triterpenes (a phytonutrient that lowers blood sugar)• Glyconutrients & glycoproteins• Polysaccharides, including:• Acemannan, mannose-6-phosphate polymannans• Phenolic glycosides, including:• Dihydrocoumarins

From the Latex Lining:

Anthraquinone glycosides: aloin, aloe-emodin, barbaloin (15% -30%)
C-glycosides and resins

UNIQUENESS

A.vera contains more than 200 tonic ingredients including essential amino acids, minerals, vitamins, enzymes and steroids.
It contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C and E.
Aloe vera has a high enzyme content (about 92 enzymes), which makes it a rare and valuable resource because enzyme help the body absorb basic nutrients while also purifying it.

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Aloe vera



HEALTH BENEFITS

Aloe vera boosts immune function and destroys cancer tumors

Scientific research shows strong immunomodulatory and antitumour properties for Aloe vera polysaccharides. That means the gel helps boosts immune system function while destroying cancer tumors. One study published in International Immunopharmacology (1995) showed that Aloe vera polysaccharides exhibited potent macrophage-activating activities including producing increased volumes of nitric oxide (which has antitumor potential).

Aloe vera halts inflammation

Using aloe topically is well known to ease inflammation of joints, reducing arthritis pain. But aloe can also be used internally, reducing inflammation throughout the body from the inside out. People who drink Aloe vera for two weeks typically begin to experience a significant reduction of inflammation symptoms.

Aloe vera enhances skin health

Aloe is one of the most widely-used ingredients in high-grade skin care products. There's a reason for that: It's great medicine for the skin! Aloe soothes the skin, hydrates it, nourishes it and accelerates the regeneration of new skin tissue. (In fact, simply removing the gel from a living Aloe vera leaf and placing the raw gel on your face is far superior to even the most expensive eye cream or skin care product on the market.) And while most people are only familiar with using Aloe vera externally, aloe also enhances skin health when used internally. Drink more aloe and your skin glows!

Aloe vera stabilizes blood sugar in diabetics

Diabetic patients who take Aloe vera for 3 months experience a significant drop in fasting blood sugar levels. They also exhibit lower cholesterol levels and slight improvements in total cholesterol. Numerous clinical studies have been published that demonstrate Aloe vera's antidiabetic properties. Diabetics are also likely to benefit strongly from Aloe vera's blood enhancements. Since aloe reverses "sludge blood" and boosts circulation to extremities, diabetics suffering from peripheral neuropathy (hands and feet going numb) are likely to benefit strongly from Aloe vera supplements.

Aloe vera lowers cholesterol and triglycerides

When used internally, Aloe vera gel improves the quality of the blood and helps rebalance the blood chemistry in a way that lowers cholesterol and total triglycerides (in people with elevated levels).

Aloe vera relieves joint and muscle pain

This effect is directly related to the inflammation factor mentioned above. It works when used both internally and externally. Essentially, aloe reduces overall inflammation. Of course, is you continue eating a pro-inflammatory diet (red meat, milk, sugar, white flour, fried foods etc.) then you'll never get rid of all your inflammation with aloe alone, but aloe can help ease your pain while you transition to a healthier lifestyle that eliminates the inflammation for good!

Aloe vera amplifies the antioxidant effects of vitamins

This is an especially interesting effect of aloe: It makes vitamin C, vitamin E and other antioxidants work better! It actually potentiates antioxidants, probably due to its effect on enhancing blood quality and allowing the blood to more effectively transport oxygen and nutrients to the body's cells. Aloe can potentiate anti-cancer herbs, too, helping them more effectively target tumors. Aloe vera actually contains advanced biochemical technology that the drug companies can only help to understand someday. This technology was built by nature, and it's 100% compatible with the human body. All you have to do to experience this technology for yourself is eat Aloe vera gel!

Aloe vera cures ulcers, IBS, Crohn's disease and Celiac disease

Polysaccharides in the Aloe vera plant have curative effects on numerous digestive disorders. Taking aloe certainly isn't a magic bullet cure, of course. It won't reverse your disease after drinking one glass of aloe vera gel. It needs to be used regularly. Most people report positive results in 3 - 30 days, depending on the condition.

Aloe vera

HEALTH BENEFITS

Aloe vera as a natural food preservative


A thin layer of Aloe vera gel can be used as a natural food preservative, eliminating the need for chemical preservatives. Research conducted by Daniel Valero, Ph.D., of the University of Miguel HernƔndez in Alicante, Spain, showed that a thin layer of Aloe vera gel was highly effective in preserving foods. For the experiment, they dipped table grapes into an Aloe vera gel, then stored them at refrigerator temperatures. Untreated table graped went bad in 7 days, but the grapes dipped in Aloe vera stayed fresh and tast for as astonishing 35 days! Because of this remarkable ability, Aloe vera gel could revolutionize food safety around the world. Dipping fruits and vegetables in the gel would eliminate E.coli, preserve freshness, and greatly extend shelf life.


Aloe vera extends lifespan

A study on rats showed Aloe vera extends lifespan by 10 percent. The abstract on this study, shown here, explains the following:

A summary of results are as follows: Aloe ingestion, both crude and processed, was shown to extend (10%) average life span and slow the mortality rate doubling time. Also, several beneficial effects from aloe ingestion on age-related disease were found: Group 2 and 3 showed a lower incidence of atrial thrombosis than Group 1. Furthermore, Group 2 showed a significantly lower incidence of fatal chronic nephropathy and occurrence of multiple causes of death compared to the control group. All groups ingesting aloe showed a slightly lower incidence of fatal leukemia. Moreover, no adverse, toxic effects were found with the ingestion of Aloe vera.

"Nephropathy" simply means kidney disorders, by the way. So this is explaining that an Aloe vera reduces kidney disease and other causes of death. It also demonstrated a lower rate of leukemia, which is an interesting finding given that so many children today still eat hot dogs laced with cancer-causing sodium nitrite (a chemical added by junk food companies to turn the meat red), and sodium nitrite causes leukemia and brain tumors, among other cancers.


Aloe vera ends acid reflux disease


Acid reflux isn't really a disease. The drug companies just call it that to convince everyone that they need to take medications to ease the symptoms. But in reality, all you probably need is Aloe vera. Drink Aloe vera gel on a regular basis, and your heartburn symptoms will usually vanish within a few days. Of course, it would also help if you'd stop eating fried foods and processed foods.


Aloe vera heals radiation burns from radiation cancer treatments


For those cancer treatment victims who have been maimed by radiotherapy treatments (which don't cure cancer, by the way: the treatments are largely a medical hoax), applying Aloe vera topically to the radiation area will rapidly accelerate the healing response. Consuming Aloe vera internally will also help heal radiation burns. Of course, it's smarter to avoid radiation in the first place, since the procedure actually causes cancer just like mammograms do.

The abstract states: Radiomodifying effects of the leaf extract of Aloe vera were observed on the testes of Swiss albino mice at 50 and 100 mg/kg dose levels. This extract was non-toxic when injected up to 800 mg/kg, and significant enhancement in survival time of the irradiated group was observed. In addition, treatment reduced radiation-induced damage to germ cells and loss in
body weight.


The key concepts here are "significant enhancement in survival time" (the mice lived longer), and a reduction in radiation-induced damage to germ cells, meaning that the DNA in your sperm remains more intact. That's a good thing unless you really want to have mutant children someday or have an unnatural desire to watch your genitals shrivel and die (another side effect from radiation therapy).


Aloe vera cures gum disease


Just sprinkle some of this Aloe vera powder on your toothbrush before brushing. The Aloe vera powder actually heals gums and eliminates gum disease.
Merely drinking the aloe also helps heal your gums: Just swish the liquid around your mouth a few times before each swallow. You'll be bathing your gums in healing aloe gel, and they'll begin to heal rapidly. Even severe cases of gum disease can be completely cured in a matter of weeks using Aloe vera gel.


Aloe vera heals burns, cuts and scrapes


When used externally, Aloe is the best wound dressing ever discovered, far exceeding the capability of even the most advanced emergency room wound dressings. It works by simultaneously sealing the wound while attracting an increased flow of blood to the wound, acclerating wound healing. Aloe has been known to heal third-degree burn victims with no scarring and to restore burned skin that would have normally died.

Aloe vera gel is extremely effective in wound care. Large chunks of Aloe vera gel can literally be packed inside wounds such as gunshot wounds or tissue tears. Placed directly on or in the wound, it kills bacteria, prevents infection and actually nourishes the traumatized tissues while sealing the wound against outside infection. Nothing beats aloe for emergency
trauma medicine.


Aloe vera saves animals and human from severe hemorrhagic shock (blood loss)


It turns out that special polymers found in Aloe vera gel have the ability to potentiate the oxygen carrying capacity of blood.

Aloe vera gel turns sludgy, oxygen-depleted blood into smooth-flowing oxygen-rich blood! It's being used experimentally right now by the U.S. military to save the lives of soldiers who have lost enormous amounts of blood from battlefield injuries. The original research was done on rats by unethical researchers who kill rats for a living. They bled out the rats, removing up to 3.15mL of blood per 100g of rat body weight (which is a huge amount of blood when you consider the small size of the rats), then tried to resuscitate them by injecting a polymer made from Aloe vera. The study showed phenomenal improvements in the resuscitation, blood pressure and survival in the group receiving the Aloe vera polymer.

What it means is that the Aloe vera made the remaining blood work better. And this was done in rats who, believe it or not, have far healthier diets than the average U.S. consumer. By using Aloe vera in humans, the improvement in the "sludge blood" found in most U.S. adults would be nothing less than astonishing.


Eat raw Aloe vera gel.


It makes your blood to carry more oxygen to enhance the function of my tissues and organs. The effect is so powerful that as soon as professional athletes figure this out, they're going to start doping with Aloe vera gel. They'll cycle farther, swim faster and recover more quickly from any physical exercise. Aloe vera gel turns normal blood into super-oxygenated blood. But you have to eat a lot of it.


Reducing stroke and heart attacks


Now, if you know anything about the cause of strokes and heart attacks, you realize that enhancing the quality of the blood will have a significant impact on reducing heart attacks and strokes. Eating Aloe vera is like adding an all-natural non-stick additive to your blood flow. It stops blood cells from clumping together, which is part of what causes a stroke.

Dark-field microscopy is a technique for viewing live human blood vessels. As with any truly useful technology for preventing disease without drugs and surgery, it's been censored and oppressed by the medical establishment, but what's interesting about dark-field microscopy is that it shows the form and structure of your blood cells. You can actually see how your blood cells are shaped and whether they clump together. Most people's blood cells clump together because they live on a disease-inducing diet of fried foods, homogenized dairy fats, saturated animal fats, hydrogenated oils and other deadly foods. These massive clumps of blood cells slow bloodflow and can ultimately get lodged in the capillaries of the circulatory system, blocking off nutrients and oxygen to tissues and brain cells. Aloe vera, on the other hand, causes sticky blood to become "unsticky blood," making it flow like it should -- one blood cell at a time -- so that oxygen and nutrients can reach every last organ and cell in your body.

The fact that Aloe vera can reverse "sludge blood" while allowing the blood to carry more oxygen means that it will quite obviously reduce heart attacks and strokes. In fact, it will also reduce high blood pressure because part of the reason blood pressure is so high in some people is because their blood has turned into a thick, viscious liquid that flows like molasses. Basic physics tells you that a thicker liquid will take more pressure to pump through any system. By reducing the viscosity and making the bood flow in a more frictionless manner, blood pressure is automatically lowered.

There are many other benefits that come from eating Aloe vera gel, too, such as increased blood flow to the brain, which might mean a reduction in Alzheimer's progression, improved learning, enhanced memory and better cognitive function. These benefits have yet to be proven in studies, but just because the studies haven't been done doesn't mean the aloe isn't already providing these benefits to those who take it.

Aloe vera


HEALTH BENEFITS

Aloe vera contains acemannan, a natural immune booster.


There's research being done now on the anti-cancer effects of acemannan, a phytonutrient found in Aloe vera. In one study, dogs and cats undergoing radiation for cancer were given acemannan as an adjunctive therapy. Not only did the tumors shrink more in the acemannan-treated group, but post-treatment survival was significantly extended.

Acemannan from Aloe vera accelerates the destruction of cancer tumors, improves survival time and results in far better recovery from toxic cancer treatments. One study shown demonstrates that acemannan increases cells' production of nitric oxide (NO), an anti-cancer chemical strongly associated with the shrinking of cancer tumors. Essentially, the more nitric oxide you produce (to a point), the less cancer you have, and acemannan increases the production of nitric oxide. Although this particular research was focused on chickens, the same effect has also been observed in humans.


Throw out your toxic first aid kid: Aloe vera makes everything else obsolete


Aloe vera is antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal. If Aloe vera gel wasn't antibacterial, then any little nick or scrape of the Aloe plant would result in the whole thing being eaten up by bacteria. Aloe has to be antibacterial simply to survive in the wild! Otherwise, the moist, nutrient-rich gel would be a perfect breeding ground for bacteria.


Aloe vera


TRADITIONAL USES

Alopecia (hair loss), antimicrobial, arthritis, asthma, bacterial skin infections, bowel disorders, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic leg wounds, congestive heart failure, damaged blood vessels, elevated cholesterol or other lipids, frostbite, heart disease prevention, hepatitis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBS), kidney or bladder stones, leukemia, lichen planus stomach ulcers, Merkel cell carcinoma, parasitic worm infections, protection against some chemotherapy side effects, scratches or superficial wounds of the eye, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), tumors, vaginal contraceptive, yeast infections of the skin.

Many of these traditional uses have not been scientifically tested, however, these indications have been used by traditional herbalists for hundreds if not thousands of years.