Aloe Vera: Nature's Wonder for Health & Beauty Care

 Aloe Vera, also known as Aloe Barbadensis Miller, is a succulent tropical plant hailing from the Aloaceae family, which comprises about 400 species. This plant thrives in the warm climates of Asia, Africa, and other tropical regions but has adapted to grow worldwide due to its hardiness. Its leaves give it a cactus-like appearance, but botanically, it shares more similarities with onions and garlic.

Two of the most recognized species within this family are Aloe Vera and Aloe Arborescens, differentiated by their growth patterns. The former spreads more horizontally, while the latter can grow up to two meters tall.

Historically, Aloe has been widely used for its therapeutic properties. The ancient Egyptians referred to it as the "plant of immortality," with Cleopatra using it as a beauty product. Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine, praised its anti-inflammatory, regenerative, and disinfectant properties.

Apart from history, its unique composition also sets Aloe apart. The fleshy leaves, filled with nutrients, work synergistically to enhance its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and healing properties. The plant reaches maturity at 4-5 years, during which the leaves amass the highest concentration of nutrients. Upon harvesting, the leaves are immediately processed using a cold system to retain these active ingredients.

The leaf has a gel-like inner pulp rich in complex sugars like Acemannans (glucomannans) and an outer layer rich in Anthraquinones, especially Aloin. The presence of vitamins A, B, C, E, and folic acid (B9), essential amino acids, mineral salts, sterols, and plant hormones cannot be overlooked.

Aloe juice and gel, derived from the leaves, are widely used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Aloe juice is particularly beneficial for gastritis, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers, and any inflammation of the digestive system mucous membranes. It creates a barrier against gastric juices and irritants, rebalancing the pH and bacterial flora. It also supports lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, helping maintain normal blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and aids in weight management. Furthermore, Aloe juice assists in detoxifying our bodies from environmental and metabolic toxins, supporting the liver in its cleansing function.

Anthraquinones,particularly aloin,are considered the "scavengers" of the body because they promote the hydration of the fecal mass and regulate the activity of the intestines. Aloin,also exhibits antiviral action, as it inactivates the varicella-zoster virus, herpes simplex virus and the influenza virus. However, prolonged consumption of aloe juice containing aloin, may have side effects such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea,vomiting, phototoxicity, vitamin K deficiency and kidney failure. For this reason, it is recommended to consume preparations that do not contain the outer part of the aloin-rich leaf,In addition, for those taking medications or other herbal supplements must be careful about the interaction of these with Aloe derivatives to avoid blood clotting problems.

Cosmetic industries must also adhere to a limit on aloin use in order not to make cosmetic products containing aloe vera-derived ingredients hazardous to health.

As described above, aloe also appears to be effective for topical use: studies in mice have shown that the plant can have beneficial effects on the healing of skin wounds by stimulating macrophage activity and improving the biochemical,morphological, and biomechanical characteristics of the wound itself. It should not be excluded,although it is a very rare condition, that allergic reactions to aloe vera gel and creams may occur especially if taken for very prolonged periods.

Regarding the use of aloe in cancer prevention and treatment, researchers are carefully evaluating the effects of these substances on the body. It should be emphasized that the studies carried out have been conducted only in isolated cells and laboratory animals and not on humans, consequently, with the available data it is not possible to say that the substances in the Aloe plant can also be effective and safe in human therapies.

According to patient opinion, it appears that the use of Aloe gel can prevent mucositis, an inflammation of the oral cavity that is very common in those undergoing chemotherapy. Of course, this opinion is objective and as such, is not to be considered scientifically exhaustive.

In conclusion, we can say that Aloe vera,despite further studies to be carried out on humans, thanks to the nutrients present inside the leaves, can be considered as one of the natural products useful in improving our state of health.