Aloe ~ Aloe barbadensis L.

Aloe

Latin name: Aloe barbadensis L., Aloe vera

Family: Liliaceae; Aloaceae

Part used: whole leaf, inner leaf

Habitat: West Indies, S. and E. Africa

Main constituents: anthraquinones (in latex); polysaccharide (inner leaf gel), emodin, aloctin A

Energetics: cooling, drying, stimulating

Main herbal actions: laxative (in latex), cholagogue, emollient, female tonic (Ayurveda)

Minor herbal actions: immunostimulating, antitumor, stomachic, choleretic; inner leaf gel is anti-inflammatory, antipruritic, vulnerary, and hypocholesterolemic

Main medicinal uses: chronic constipation with bowel atony

Minor medicinal uses: inner leaf gel is used topically on burns, wounds, aphthous ulcers and internally for gastric ulcers and diabetes

Preparations: Whole fresh aloe: small pieces of 1 cm²; powder: 300 mg; large doses are laxative; juice or gel: 30 ml

Contraindications: chronic ingestion of whole leaf may deplete electrolytes from stool looseness; potassium loss may potentiate cardiac glycoside toxicity; use no more than 8-10 consecutive days; ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, inflamed hemorrhoids, children under 12

Toxicity: vomiting, bloody diarrhea, intestinal spasms, kidney inflammation

Sources: Sharol Tilgner, N.D.: Herbal Medicine from the Heart of the Earth; Wren, R.C. Potter’s New Cyclopaedia of Botanical Drugs and Preparations