Herb Of The Week - Aloe Vera

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Very informative article about Aloe from Himadri Panda.

 

See the web site to view the charts properly ...

 

*Smile*

Chris (list mom)

 

http://www.alittleolfactory.com

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http://www.techno-preneur.net/timeis/technology/SciTechJuly03/Aloe.html

 

ALOE BARBADENSIS - A USEFUL PLANT The word " Aloe " is derived from the

Arabic word " alloeh " which means " bitter and shiny substance " . Aloe

describes more than three hundred fifty closely related plants that grow

all over the world. Aloe has been used in folk remedies around the world

for over 2000 years. The ancient Chinese used it to relieve stomach

ailments.

 

The South and Central Americans use aloe gel to treat kidney and bladder

problems and to increase longevity. In India, Aloe medicines are used

for a variety of conditions, particularly for their cathartic,

stomachic, emmergagogic and anthelminthic properties. Cultivated

throughout India in many varieties some of which run wild as on the

coasts of Mumbai, Gujarat and South India. A.barbadensis have become

completely naturalised in India especially in the hot dry valleys of

north-western Himalayas and throughout the central table-land extending

as far as Cape Comorin.

 

 

The Aloe plant grows in different sizes. It can be 10 inches to 30 feet.

It grows in a rosette formation. This shape helps the Aloe plant catches

as much rain as possible. It also helps shade itself from the tremendous

heat of the desert.

 

 

The Aloe plant varies in colour from light to dark green. It usually is

darker than regular cactus. The plant has long flat leaves. The edges

have points but they are not sharp. It has a waxy coating to keep the

moisture inside.

 

 

Cultivation

 

 

(1) Preparation of Land: The field should be ploughed through two to

three times before cultivation.

 

 

(2) Propagation: Aloe barbadensis propagation should be conducted at any

specified centre.

 

 

(3) Sowing: Sowing of Aloe plant should be done in the month of

July-August, so that initially plant will get sufficient water. The

plant should be in a line, distance between line should be 1.0 to 1.5

ft.,distance between consecutive plant in a line should be 1 ft. For one

hectare field it requires about 40-50 thousand plant.

 

 

(4) Irrigation : Not required

 

 

(5) Diseases & their control: Not required.

 

 

(6) Harvest & Storage: Aloe plant can be harvested to the grown leaves

every three months with the help of sharp knife. The remaining part

will again develop in next 3 month time and so on.

 

 

(7) Production and Yield: 500 q.per hectare.

 

 

(8) Market price: Aloe plant fresh leaves cost @Rs.2/- to Rs.5/- per kg.

 

 

 

Uses

 

 

Historically, we find that Aloe plant has been used to treat human and

medical problem from A to Z

 

 

A- Allergies, abscesses, abresions, asthma, acne, acid indigestion,

allergic reaction, anemia, arthritis, athlete's foot, AIDS.

 

 

B- Bad breath, burns, boils bursitis, baldness, blisters, bruises,

bronchitis, bloddy scours in calves, body cleanser, bladder infection,

blood pressure.

 

 

C- Corneal, ulcers, contusions, cuts, cataracts, chapped skin, coughs,

colds, colitis, carbuncles, colic, cradle, cap, cystitis, candida,

chemotherapy, constipation.

 

 

D- Dermatitis, dandruff, dry skin, denture sores, diaper rash, dishpan

hands, dysentery, diabetes, depression.

 

 

E- Edema, erysipelas, epidermis, Epstein-Barr virus, exanthema,

enteritis in fowl, eyes, ear ache.

 

 

F- Favus, fissured nipples, fever blisters, fungus

 

 

G- Genital Herpes, gingivitis, glaucoma, gangrene

 

 

H- Heat rash, headache of all kinds, hemorrhoid, heart burn, high blood

pressure

 

 

I- Impetigo, inflamed joints, insomnia, ingrown toenails, infertility,

due to anovulatory cycles, indigestion, insect bites.

 

 

J- Jaundice, joints.

 

 

K- Keratosis follicularis, kidney infections

 

 

L- Laxation, leprosy, laryngitis, lupus, liver ailments, leukemia

 

 

M- Multiple sclerosis, mastitis in diary cattle, mouth irritations,

muscle cramps strains, moles

 

 

N- Nausea of all kinds

 

 

O- Onycholysis, odor control of chronic ulcers, oral disorders

 

 

P- Pin worms, psoriasis, prostatitis, poison, pancreas.

 

 

R- Razor burn, radiation burns, rediation dermatitis, rashes

 

 

S- Stings, styes, sprains, senile moles, sores of all kind, seborrhea,

stretch marks, sore throat, shingles, staph infection, sunburns, sciatic

nerve, sicklecell disease

 

 

T- Tonsilitis, tendinitis, trachoma, tuberculosis

 

 

U- Ulcerations of all kinds urticaria, ulcers

 

 

V- Vaginitis, venereal sores, venous stasis, varicose veins

 

 

W- Wind burns, wheal, wounds of all kinds, warts.

 

 

X- X-rays burns

 

 

Y- Yeast infection

 

 

Z- Zoster

 

 

Bacteria and Fungi known to be eliminated

 

 

Bacteria Cause

Streptococcus Rheumatic fever, strep throat and scarlet fever.

Serratia marcescens Endocarditis, pneumonia

Klebsiella pneumoniae Pneumonia

Escherichia coli Diarrhea and fatal food poisoning

Staphylococcus aureus Food poisoning and toxic shock syndrome

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Severe and fatal blood poisoning

Candida albicans Vaginal, respiratory and skin infection, thrus

and endocarditis

Trichophyton Fungal infection of the skin, nails

Mycobacterium tuberculosis Tuborculosis, lupus and erythematosus

Aloe is also known to contain well over 100 separate ingredients or

constituents between those found in the leaf and those found in the

mucilaginous gel inside the leaf. According to Indian Herbal

Pharmacopoeia, the chemical constituents are:

 

 

Major: Hydroxyanthraquinone derivatives (25-40%), aloin and

7-hydrrocyaloin isomers.

 

 

Minor: Include aloe emodin chrysophanol, aloeresin B with its pcoumaryl

derivatives and aglycone aloesone.

 

 

The gel of Aleo plant has been known to have healng power for centuries.

Aloe extracts can eliminate dozen of harmful bacteria. They are:

 

 

1. Antibacterial findings: Leaves of Aloe plant were cut and allowed the

juice to drain out. This juice inhibited Staphylococcus aureus when

fresh, but the activity was unstable unless the extract was refrigerated

or heated and then freeze dried. The freeze dried extract inhibited some

spiece but other parts did have these properties.

 

 

It was found to have antibacterial activity in the pericyclic juice,

particularly against grampositive bacteria. It was also reported

immunostimulant properties in an extract of Aloe plant.

 

 

2. Anti inflammatory findings: A berbadensis gel has some kind of

anti-inflammatory effect. A material having antibrady kinin activity on

isolated guinea pig ileum was partially purified from the nondialysate

of the pulp of Aloe by repetition of gel chromatography using a

hydrophilic polyvinyl gel and dextran gels.

 

 

If such a material was present in Aloe gel, then it would cause

breakdown of bracykinin and activation of angiotesin to reduce pain and

inflammation.

 

 

The lectin Aloctin A was found in Aloe gel and this Aloctin A had

anticancer effects. Some found that Aloe gel had antiprostagladin

effects. Prostaglandins and thromboxanes are compounds involved in the

long term inflammatory response in damaged tissue.

 

 

They had number of different physiological effects including promotion

of fever and pain. There is some evidence that Aloe gel inhibits the

synthesis of prostaglandins from arachidonic acid. The % inhibition was

found to increasse according to the concentration of commercial product.

Thus in clinical application to burns and similar lesions Aloe product

could cause recent studies supports this theory. It was suggested that

Aloe gel contains anthraquinone and related compounds which helps as

healing agent on skin.

 

 

3. Anaesthetic findings: Several biologically active substance such as

aloenin, magnesium lactate, aloe emodin, barbaloin and succinic acid

were found to be contained in the leaf juice of Aloe barbadensis which

has widely been used in domestic medicines. Aloenin and magenesium

lactate were elucidated to exhibit an inhibitory action on the gastric

juice secretion.

 

 

Pain relieving properties to Aloe gel and found salicylate, lactate and

magnesium responsible for the anaesthetic property could either be due

to an aspirin like effect or the high magnesium ion content or possibly

both acting synergistically. Also it was possible that anthraquinone

type compounds such as emodin and barbaloin could be broken down by the

kolbe reaction to solicylates.

 

 

4. Analgesic finding: The analgesic effect of evaporated juice from the

leaves of Aloe barbadensis was analysed using a rat tail hot wire

method. It was found that Aloe extract increased the latent period to

15s, 60 min after injection, compared to a latent period of 12s before

the treatment.

 

 

The analgesic quality was not as strong as that of the pain releiving

drug Novalgin.

 

 

5. Thermal Burns : Aloe gel on thermal burns tested in standard guinea

pig experiment. The depth of dermal ischaemia was measured by perfusion

with India Ink. The control animals were burned and untreated while

other groups were burned and treated every 8 hours with methy 1

prednisolone, methimazole or a commercial 70% Aloe gel cream. It was

found that Aloe cream had similar effect to the methyl prednisolone and

methimazole giving improved perfusion of capillaries.

 

 

6. Anti fungal findings : Different extract of both fresh and dry leaves

of Aloe were screened for their antifungal activity against Aspergillus

nigher, Cladosporium herbarum and Fusarium moniliforme. The toxicity of

the isolated pure components were evaluated pure components were

evaluated on the tested fungi.

 

 

Immuno-stimulatory findings: The present study together with previous

observation show that Aloe gel contain small molecular weight

immunomodulators that prevent UVB induced immune suppression in the skin

by restoration of UVB induced damages on epidermal cells.

 

 

Superoxide dismutases: Extract from the parenchymatous leaf gel and the

rind of the Aloe plant were shown to contain seven electrophoretically

identifiable superoxide dismutases.

 

 

7. Opthalmic solution: The dry eye syndrome is a very common disorder

that affects mainly contact lens users and post menopausl women. It is

also known as keratoconjuntivitis sicca.

 

 

Current available treatments for the dry eye are not fully effective

because they do not induce reeipthelization of the cornea and repairing

of the physiology of the eye. Aloe solution which have been successfully

demonstrated in the treatment of internal and external wounds, could be

applied to disorders of the eye involving inflammation, ulceration and

infection.

 

 

Final composition

 

 

Infredients Minimum Maximum

Aloe barbadensis 25 75

Citric Acid 0.2 2

Potassium sorbate 0.1 2

Sodium sorbate 0.1 2

Cornstarch 10 70

Albumin 1 10

Hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose 0.5 10

Allantoin 0.5 5

Vitamin A 0.1 5

Vitamin A 0.1 5

Vitamin D 0.1 5

Vitamin E 0.1 5

Preparation of the Aloe gel eye drops: The Aloe leaves were processed as

soon as possible after cutting from the plant. The whole extraction

process takes no more than 2 hrs. The leaf removed from the plant was

washed with a chlorinated solution rinsed with sterilized water and

dried. Then the gel is separated from the leaf peeling away the outer

green cortex of the leaf.

 

 

Carefully but consistently close, not to lose the region just below the

skin that contains substantial quantities of a highly active

mucopolysaccharide composition. The separated gel matrix is immediately

stabilized with 0.1% citric acid and 0.2% potassim sorbate.

 

 

Homogenization was performed using a speed blender. The preparation was

then fractionated and readily freeze at 18 C. For the preparation of

final Aloe gel solution the frozen homogenate was towed, clarified,

centrifuged at 10000 rpm in continues flow centrifuge and filtered

through a 0.2 mu pore filtration system.

 

 

The final 40:1 Aloe solution was sterile, aloin free, pulp free and

mucliage free. The gel for the use with an Aloe solution was prepared

with Natrosol, 0.75% in deionized water with 0.2% of potassium sorbate

as a presevative.

 

 

8. Aloe solution for stimulating hair growth: The possession of a health

and profuse head of hair throughout life is the ambition of most human

beings. Various kinds of hair dressings including hair treatment

composition, have been used for slowing down or stopping epillation or

depilation.

 

 

In this present study a 100% staurated sodium chloride dissolved in Aloe

solution was prepared for stimulation hair growth and for decreasing

hair loss.

 

 

Preparation of Extract: An Aloe leaf was washed, sliced open and

filletde. The clean inner gel was retained while the green rind and the

latex material were discard, the filleted material was homogenized and

extensively filtered, to remove the pulp.

 

 

The clear, viscous gel was acidified to a pH of approximately 3.20 with

dill HCl to solubilize the oxalates and lactaes of calcium and magnesium

that are usually present to their corresponding water soluble acids. The

acid treated gel was then extracted for 4-5 hrs with four volumes of 95%

ethanol at ambient temperature.

 

 

Floating fibers were removed, then the alcohol/water mixture was

siphoned off while the solid precipited was collected by centrifugation.

Most alcohol/water soluble substances were eliminated in the process.

The solid was then washed with fresh alcohol, centrifuged, freeze dried

and ground to a white amorphous powder.

 

 

9. Aloe gel toothpaste: It is known that chlorophyll possesses positive

antibacterial action and will stimulate growth. But the use of Aloe gel

helps in relieving pain and in promoting healing of topical and other

lesions.

 

 

10. Aloe Ointment: Fresh aloe gel, i.e., within five hours of removal

from the plant and preferably within two hours of its removal, is mixed

with Aquaphor in a ratio of 8% of the gel 92% Aquaphor. This ointment is

useful in treating skin irritation and promoting the healing of wounds.

This ointment is suited for external use only, and must not be taken for

internally.

 

 

11. Cosmetic fascial proparation: This facial preparation cleanse and

soften the skin and improve its texture.

 

 

12. Skin therapeutic mixture containing Aloe extract: The skin

therapeutic mixture comprises the extract from the dried leaves of Aloe

plant, a preservative and an oil soluble base. The leaves of the Aloe

plant are dried under moderate light, under warm temperature and with

frequent tossing

 

 

The dried leaves are then ground to a very small particle size and

thereafter are extracted with water. The small the particle size, the

more complete will be the extraction.

 

 

Example-1

 

 

Component % by weight

Extract of the leaves 7.4

Sulfathiazole 5.0

Zinc oxide 14.2

Petrolatum 73.4

In this example the extract and the other ingredients may be blended

together most efficiently by warming the petrolatum with moderate

strirring to a semi liquid, then ading zinc oxice, sulfathiazole and the

extract in that order. The mixture should be stirred in this fashion for

about 10 minutes to insure uniformity of the product.

 

 

Example-2

 

 

Sl.No Components % by weight

A Water phase

Extract 10

Glycerol 2

Sodium lauryl Sulphate 0.2

Triethanol amine 0.8

Water 83

B Oil phase

Palmitic acid 3

Cetyl alcohol 0.5

C. Perfumes for

Fragrance 0.5

In this example, the water and oil phase are heated separately while

stirring at moderate shear speeds to 75C. Then add the oil phase to

water phase very slowly to insure good dispersion

 

 

The smaller the oil stream in the water, the better the dispersion.

Fragrance is then added while stirring in small amounts of the same as

needed.

 

 

13. Decongestant composition containing Aloe gel: A decongestant

composition provided for treatment of symptoms associated with

respiratory disorders.

 

 

The decongestant can be topically applied to the nasal or bronchial

passages from dispensers containing spray means or inhalation mist

means.

 

 

Writer: Himadri Panda