Aloe Aloe vera (A. barbadensis), A. ferox, A. perryi Family: Aloaceae

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Photo © Steven Foster

Introduction

Aloe can be found throughout the tropics and warmer regions worldwide. Because of this global naturalization, its true origin is unknown. It is thought to have come from North Africa or the Nile region in Sudan.¹  The genus contains at least 324 species of herbs, shrubs, and trees, primarily African, with some in Madagascar and the Arabian Peninsula.²  The commercially significant aloes are perennials, with 15 to 30 fleshy leaves up to 1.5 feet long and 4 inches across the base. Saw-teeth mark the margins of the leaves.¹  

History and Cultural Significance

Aloe has played a significant medicinal role for thousands of years. Egyptians, Assyrians, and Mediterranean peoples used the dried latex (from cells inside the leaves) and the gel.³  In Egypt, aloe was called “the plant of immortality” and was given as an offering at the funerals of pharaohs and used in the baths of Egyptian queens Nefertiti and Cleopatra. According to the Roman scholar, Pliny, the plant was also used for embalming. In the first century C.E., the Greek physician Dioscorides used aloe for soothing, sores and wounds. In the 10th century aloe was used in England, and during the 17th century records show that the East India Company frequently purchased aloe from the king of Socotra. Today, Egyptians still hang an aloe plant over the door of a new house to provide a long and fruitful life for its occupants. In China, Mexico, and the West Indies, it has become a household remedy for a variety of uses.

Externally, aloe gel has been used in many ways, including to alleviate skin irritation.³  In cosmetics, the gel is added to moisturizers, cleansers, shampoos, suntan lotions, and sunburn treatments.

Modern Research

The research into aloe continues for a variety of practical, medicinal uses. One study in 2003 evaluated the use of aloe vera gel gloves for treatment of dry skin associated with occupational exposure.⁴  Current research is being performed on the external uses of aloe gel for its possible anti-inflammatory effects, intranasal use for allergies, and painful dry socket treatment as a result of dental procedure complications.^5,6,7,8  Other studies on the external uses of aloe include the application of an aloe gel to treat burns and the potential use of the gel as a topical antimicrobial.^9,10  

Future Outlook

Aloe is currently being grown and harvested worldwide. It grows in most of Africa, southern Arabia, the Caribbean, Japan, Madagascar, the Mediterranean, and North and South America.¹¹  It is extensively commercially produced and cultivated allowing a constant supply to be available at all times.