Aloe Vera and the immune system

What It Is Used For?

Traditionally, aloe was used topically to heal wounds and for various skin conditions, and orally as a laxative. Today, in addition to traditional uses, people take aloe orally to treat a variety of conditions, including diabetes, asthma, epilepsy, and osteoarthritis. People use aloe topically for osteoarthritis, burns, and sunburns. Aloe vera gel can be found in hundreds of skin products, including lotions and sunblocks. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved aloe vera as a natural food flavoring.

Medicinal uses:

Aloe succotrina, from Koehler's Medicinal-Plants (1887)Aloe vera has been used externally to treat various skin conditions such as cuts, burns and eczema. It is alleged that sap from Aloe vera eases pain and reduces inflammation. Evidence on the effects of Aloe vera sap on wound healing, however, is contradictory (Vogler and Ernst, 1999). A study performed in the 1990s showed that the healing time of a moderate to severe burn was reduced when the wound was treated on a regular basis with Aloe vera gel, compared to the healing of the wound covered in a gauze bandage (Farrar, 2005). In contrast, another study suggested wounds to which Aloe vera gel was applied were significantly slower to heal (Schmidt and Greenspoon, 1991).

Aloe vera's beneficial properties may be attributed to mucopolysaccharides present in the inner gel of the leaf, especially acemannan (acetylated mannans). An injectable form of acemannan manufactured and marketed by Carrington Laboratories as Acemannan Immunostimulant™ has been approved in the USA for treatment of fibrosarcoma (a type of cancer) in dogs and cats after clinical trials. It has not been approved for use by humans, and, although it is not a drug, its sale is controlled and it can only be obtained through a veterinary doctor.

Cosmetic companies add sap or other derivatives from Aloe vera to products such as makeup, tissues, moisturizers, soaps, sunscreens, shampoos and lotions, though the effectiveness of Aloe vera in these products remains unknown. Aloe vera gel is also alleged to be useful for dry skin conditions, especially eczema around the eyes and sensitive facial skin[citation needed]. Most suppliers, however, degrade the polysaccharides during processing (Turner et al, 2004).

An article published in the British Journal of General Practice suggests that Aloe vera is effective at treating athlete's foot[citation needed].

Whether or not it promotes wound healing is unknown, and even though there are some promising results, clinical effectiveness of oral or topical Aloe vera remains unclear at present.

Aloe vera juice may help some people with ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease. Side effects can occur and consulting a doctor before ingesting any form of aloe vera, including aloe vera juice, is highly recommended. Use in foods:

In Japan Aloe Vera is commonly used as an ingredient in commercially available yogurt. There are also many companies which produce Aloe Vera beverages.

In some of the parts of early India (British India), now Pakistan, the plant has been used for centuries as a carminative and digestive aid. The dried gel is mixed with seeds of various herbs and consumed after a meal.

Pashtuns in the Hazara region of the North West Frontier Province have been using Aloe Vera for centuries to improve physical endurance, probably due to the high nutrient content of the gel.

People in Rajasthan, India prepare vegetable out of Aloe Vera and with fenugreek seeds.

People in Tamil Nadu, another state of India prepare a curry using Aloe Vera which is taken along with Indian bread or rice.

Some popular beverages, such as SoBe's Strawberry Daiquirí, contain Aloe Vera. In Mexico smoothies made out of Aloe Vera are fairly common.

What the Science Says:

Aloe latex contains strong laxative compounds. Products made with various components of aloe (aloin, aloe-emodin, and barbaloin) were at one time regulated by the FDA as oral over-the-counter (OTC) laxatives. In 2002, the FDA required that all OTC aloe laxative products be removed from the U.S. market or reformulated because the companies that manufactured them did not provide the necessary safety data. Early studies show that topical aloe gel may help heal burns and abrasions. One study, however, showed that aloe gel inhibits healing of deep surgical wounds. Aloe gel does not prevent burns from radiation therapy. There is not enough scientific evidence to support aloe vera for any of its other uses.