Four vegetables are indispensable for the well-being of man: wheat, the grape, the olive and the aloe. The first nourishes him, the second raises his spirit, the third brings him harmony and the fourth cures him."
- Christopher Columbus
The Aloe plant
The main wild or cultivated aloe species, used basically in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and beauty, toiletry and food and beverages industries are the following:
Human use of Aloes are primarily as a herbal remedy in alternative medicines and "home first aid". It is very common to have an aloe plant in your garden or inside your house, usually in the kitchen. Both the translucent inner pulp (inner aloe gel) as well as the resinous yellow exudate known as aloe bitter or aloe sap, are used externally to relieve skin discomforts and internally as a laxative.
To date, much research has shown aloe having different positive medicinal benefits for external and internal uses. In the research section of the Aloetrade America main site we offer extensive information about that.
The more used part of the aloe plants are their leaves and in particular their internal transparent gel.
The aloe gel is liquid, transparent and a colorless one composed mainly by water in approximately a 98% of its weight. The remaining 2% of weight, that it would obtain by elimination of the water, are a complex mixture of chemical substances, some of which already isolated and have been identified, knowing its farmacological and cosmetological effects.
This main element of the Aloe plant is a thick and mucilaginous gel. Externally, it can be applied directly to any number of skin complaints such as burns, rashes, cuts, acne, stings and cold sores. Aloe gel can also provide instant relief from sunburn and will eliminate blemishes caused by over-exposure to the sun when used over a prolonged period of time. It will also greatly reduce scarring and other unsightly damaged skin tissue. The aloegel is the main raw material used into our aloe-spa treatments.
It works by penetrating the injured tissue, reducing inflammation, relieving pain and dilating capillaries to increase the blood flow to the wound. It has an intriguing, and effective, mix of antibiotic, astringent, coagulating, pain inhibiting and cell growth stimulating properties. It has been cited as a possible preventative of the aging effect, though this could be down to its intense moisturising qualities. For that reasons, it is highly used in many cosmetic and beauty preparations. Internally, aloe juices made from aloe gel without aloe sap or aloin, are to help to the digestive system, with indigestion, heartburn, ulcers, heart system and the immune system.
There is also a bitter yellow juice that is produced in the thick leaf epidermis of the plant which is used, often in conjunction with the gel and other natural remedies, for the treatment of internal ailments. The products made from the extracts of Aloe Vera (usually called aloe sap, aloe blood, aloin or acibar in spanish) are aimed to cure the constipation and indigestion. The processed aloin is also reported to help with arthritis, asthma, insomnia and haemorrhoids.
At the present time they are numerous scientific works related to the aloes and their products. In the United States from 1950 to date, close to 200 Patents of Invention covering from aloe processing to new aloe derived industrial products have been registered, for medicines, cosmetics, foods, as much for its application in humans like for animals and vegetables.
Aloe External Uses
Aloe is a natural pharmacy for you. Like no other natural plant, aloe has hundreds of research, medical papers and clinical trials to demonstrate its wide properties. Following is a description of its main constituents.
Amino Acids
Aloe provides 20 of the 22 human required amino acids and 7 of the 8 essential ones. The amino acids provides the basic building blocks of proteins in the production of muscle tissue etc, and the human body cannot manufacture them.
Anthraquinones
In general terms, aloe vera may be used both for internal and external uses.
During thousand of years aloe vera has been used for its medicinal, health and beauty properties (particularly in skin care). While Cleopatra used Aloe to enhance her beauty, Alexander Magnus conquered the Socotra island to have aloe vera supplies for its soldiers.
The aloe vera plant, aloe constituents and aloe products have hundreds of clinical trials and research performed over almost 50 years. Perhaps no other plant in nature has the quantity of research, document, papers and clinical trials as the aloe vera. You may see the main aloe vera research into the Aloetrade America main page.
Aloe vera is perhaps one of the most known plants for everyone.
But what are the benefits of aloe vera in our Aloe-Spa body or facial treatments?
See excerpts of a post published by Professional Free Press Release News Wire.