Updated 4 January 2024
Other botanical names
- Aloe barbadensis, Aloe ferox
Common names
- Aloe Vera, True Aloe, Cape Aloe
Common origins
- Hot and desert regions, South and East Africa, West Indies
Botanical classification
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Division: Magnoliophyta
- Class: Liliopsida
- Order: Liliales
- Family: Aloeaceae
- Genus: Aloe
Components
Aloe juice- Anthracenosides (20 to 40%): aloin, aloinosides A and B, etc.
- Resin : Aloeresins A, B, C
- Heterogeneous polysaccharides: pectins, hemicellulose, etc.
- Amino acids
- Mineral salts: Zn, Cu, P, Mn, Cd, Ca, Ger
- Vitamins: B, A, C, E, beta-carotene
- Lipids
- Enzymes
Parts used
- Aloe vera juice and gel are used.
Organoleptic properties
- Odour: slightly acidic
- Taste: very bitter
Properties
Aloe Suc
- Strong laxative (stimulant)
- Anti-infective
Aloe Gel
Internal use
- Hypoglycaemic
- Hypocholesterolaemic
- Anti-ulcer
- Strengthens the immune system
External use
- Healing, regenerating
- Moisturising
- Firming, skin tightening
- Anti-inflammatory
- Anti-infective
- Immunostimulant
- Stimulates appetite
Indications
Aloe Suc
Aloe Gel
Internal use
- Regulation of gastric pH
- Regulates intestinal transit
- Inflammatory conditions of the digestive mucosa :
- Protection of the intestinal flora
- Loss of appetite
External use ​
- Skin care
- Burns
- Sunburn
- Cracked skin
- Ulcers
- Nappy rash
- Insect bites
- Prevention of stretch marks during pregnancy
- Psoriasis
- Eczema
- Burns after radiotherapy (apply locally after each session)
​Precautions / Contraindications
Aloe juice
- Like all stimulant laxatives, it is contraindicated in cases of abdominal pain of unknown origin, intestinal obstruction, acute intestinal inflammation, appendicitis, kidney disease, heart disease, nausea or vomiting.
- Contraindicated in pregnancy (abortifacient at high doses), children, breastfeeding women, renal insufficiency, liver disease, people with uraemia.
- May cause abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Aloe gel
- It has no significant side effects.
How to use / Current dose
- Powdered sugar: powder in mixtures containing 75 to 200 mg. Very laxative. Maximum dose for adults: 0.2 g/day. Do not give to children under 12.
- Aloe juice and gel (whole leaves): 2 to 8 tablespoons as needed, 1-2 times daily, before or after meals.
To find out more
It's important to distinguish between aloe juice (latex) and aloe gel.
Aloe juice (latex): oozes from the leaves before being concentrated by heating. It has laxative properties. Aloe gel is obtained by cutting the leaves cold. It has soothing properties.
Ayurvedic medicine provides interesting information about its hormonal action. Aloe helps to treat symptoms associated with menstrual disorders (mood swings, bloating, breast hypersensitivity, hot flushes). It also regulates the pituitary gland and thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) in the event of dysfunction. It helps with non-insulin-dependent diabetes.
It is also useful in cancer treatment (renewal of collagen, essential for physiological tissue regeneration, cleansing).
It is also useful in all inflammatory vascular pathologies (arteritis, infarction, atherosclerosis). It also helps people who are physically and psychologically exhausted to get rid of the resentments and grudges that "clog up" their animal vibrations; in a way, it cleanses the "bitterness" and wounds of the soul.
Additional information
Habitat and botanical description
It is a thick plant with a short, woody trunk topped by a cluster of fleshy, lanceolate, spiny leaves, 40-60 cm long. Each leaf has three superimposed layers: a thick upper layer, a central pulp layer of cells containing the aloe gel, and a lower layer from which the dark, bitter juice is extracted. During flowering (winter and spring), the tall flowering stem bears yellow or red flowers in hanging racemes. The fruit is an egg-shaped capsule.
Harvest time
Aloe leaves can be harvested all year round, preferably after the rainy season when they are well waterlogged.
Mythology / History / Anecdotes and traditional virtues
The Latin word "aloe" comes from the Arabic word "alloeh", which means "bitter, shiny substance".
In Mesopotamia it was used as an aperitif. The Egyptians used it as a laxative, Cleopatra used it to maintain her beauty, and it was used on pottery as a sign of wealth. In 1500 BC, the Elbers papyrus praised its healing powers for digestive disorders, haemorrhoids, headaches, skin diseases, burns and mouth and throat infections. According to the Hebrews, it was God himself who planted "aloim" (the Hebrew name for aloe). In Ayurvedic medicine, its name 'kumari' means 'the vitality of youth'. A symbol of immortality in China, it was also used to dye wool, satin and silk. According to Hildegarde de Bingen, aloe juice is hot; applied as a bandage to the stomach, it calms fever; applied to the chest, it stops coughs; in cold water, it cures jaundice and bladder problems. It is also said to "open the internal ducts" (menstruation, haemorrhoids, bile) and prevent putrefaction. It is used in mixtures such as theriac or Swedish elixir.
The first Christians used 'incense' made from the dried trunk of the aloe plant because its smoke raised the state of consciousness and contemplation during worship, before being replaced by gum incense resin (Boswellia).
The bitterness of aloe is used in varnishes to prevent onychophagia (nail biting). The gel was traditionally used by wet nurses who smeared it on the nipples to disgust the baby during weaning, and by Mayan women to firm their breasts. Locally, its healing and skin-regenerating properties are highly valued today.