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30-AUGUST-2008 03:13:07 - Aloe vera Redirected from Aloe Vera Aloe vera A. vera growing in Aruba, flower detail inset. A. vera growing in Aruba, flower detail inset. Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Liliopsida Order: Asparagales Family: Asphodelaceae Genus: Aloe Species: A. vera Binomial name Aloe vera L. Burm.f. Aloe vera, also known as the Medicinal Aloe, is a species of succulent plant that probably originated in northern Africa. The species does not have any naturally occurring populations, although closely related Aloes do occur in northern Africa.1 The species is frequently cited as being used in herbal medicine since the beginning of the first century CE, because it is mentioned in the New Testament John 19:39-40 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes... .2 However, it is unclear whether the aloes described in the Bible are derived from A. vera. Extracts from A. vera are widely used in the cosmetics and alternative medicine industries, being marketed as variously having rejuvenating, healing or soothing properties.345 There is, however, little scientific evidence of the effectiveness or safety of A. vera extracts for either cosmetic or medicinal purposes, and what positive evidence is available is frequently contradicted by other studies.6789 Despite these limitations, there is some preliminary evidence that A. vera extracts may be useful in the treatment of diabetes and elevated blood lipids in humans.8 These positive effects are thought to be due to the presence of compounds such as mannans, anthraquinones and lectins.81011 Contents 1 Description 2 Taxonomy and etymology 3 Distribution 4 Cultivation 5 Anthropogenic uses 5.1 Medicine 6 Biologically active compounds 7 See also 8 References 9 External links Description Spotted forms of A. vera are sometimes known as A. vera var. chinensis Spotted forms of A. vera are sometimes known as A. vera var. chinensis A. vera is a stemless or very short-stemmed succulent plant growing to 60-100 cm 24-39 in tall, spreading by offsets. The leaves are lanceolate, thick and fleshy, green to grey-green, with some varieties showing white flecks on the upper and lower leaf surfaces.12 The margin of the leaf is serrated and has small white teeth. The flowers are produced in summer on a spike up to 90 cm 35 in tall, each flower pendulous, with a yellow tubular corolla 2-3 cm 0.8-1.2 in long.1213 Like other Aloe species, A. vera forms arbuscular mycorrhiza, a symbiosis that allows the plant better access to mineral nutrients in soil.14 Taxonomy and etymology The species has a number of synonyms: A. barbadensis Mill., Aloe indica Royle, Aloe perfoliata L. var. vera and A. vulgaris Lam.,1516 and common names including Chinese Aloe, Indian Aloe, True Aloe, Barbados Aloe, Burn Aloe, First Aid Plant, Wand of Heaven and Miracle Plant.1317181920 The species name vera means true or genuine.17 Some literature identifies the white spotted form of A. vera as A. vera var. chinensis,2122 however, the species varies widely with regard to leaf spots1 and it has been suggested that the spotted form of A. vera may be conspecific with A. massawana.23 The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 as Aloe perfoliata var. vera,24 and was described again, twice, in 1768 by Nicolaas Laurens Burman and Philip Miller. Burman described the species as Aloe vera in Flora Indica on the 6th of April, 1768 while Miller described the species as Aloe barbadensis some ten days later in the Gardener's Dictionary.25 Techniques based on DNA comparison suggest that A. vera is relatively closely related to Aloe perryi, a species that is endemic to Yemen.26 Similar techniques, using chloroplast DNA sequence comparison and ISSR profiling have also suggested that A. vera is closely related to Aloe forbesii, Aloe inermis, Aloe scobinifolia, Aloe sinkatana and Aloe striata.27 With the exception of South African species, A. striata, these Aloe species are native to Socotra Yemen, Somalia and Sudan.27 The lack of obvious natural populations of the species have led some authors to suggest that A. vera may be of hybrid origin.28 Distribution The natural range of A. vera is unclear, as the species has been widely cultivated throughout the world. It has been suggested that naturalised stands of the species occur through North Africa in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia, along with the Canary and Madeira Islands.15 The species was introduced to China, India, Pakistan and various parts of southern Europe in the 17th century.29 The species is widely naturalised elsewhere, occurring in temperate and tropical regions of Australia, Barbados, Belize, Nigeria, Paraguay and the USA.130 It has been suggested that, like many Aloes, the species is originally from Southern Africa and that populations that occur elsewhere are the result of human cultivation.1 Cultivation Aloe vera growing as an ornamental plant Aloe vera growing as an ornamental plant A. vera has been widely grown as an ornamental plant. The species is popular with modern gardeners as a putatively medicinal plant and due to its interesting flowers, form and succulence. This succulence enables the species to survive in areas of low natural rainfall, making it ideal for rockeries and other low-water use gardens.12 The species is hardy in zones 8-11, although it is intolerant of very heavy frost or snow.1331 The species is relatively resistance to most insect pests, though mealy bugs, scale insects and aphid species may cause a decline in plant health.3233 In pots, the species requires well-drained sandy potting soil and bright sunny conditions. The use of a good quality commercial propagation mix or pre-packaged cacti and succulent mixes are recommended as they allow good drainage.34 Terracotta pots are preferable as they are porous.34 Potted plants should be allowed to completely dry prior to re-watering. During winter, A. vera may become dormant, during which little moisture is required. In areas that receive frost or snow the species is best kept indoors or in heated glasshouses.13 Large scale agricultural production of A. vera is undertaken in Australia,35 Cuba,36 the Dominican Republic,37 India,38 Jamaica,39 Kenya and South Africa,40 along with the USA41 to supply the cosmetics industry with A. vera gel. Anthropogenic uses Moisturizer containing A. vera Moisturizer containing A. vera Scientific evidence for the cosmetic and therapeutic effectiveness of Aloe vera is limited and when present is typically contradictory.67 Despite this, the cosmetic and alternative medicine industries regularly makes claims regarding the soothing, moisturising and healing properties of A. vera, especially via Internet advertising.3458 As a food, A. vera is very bitter and unpalatable.42 A. vera gel, however, is used as an ingredient in commercially available yogurt, beverages and some desserts.434445 It is common practice for cosmetic companies to add sap or other derivatives from A. vera to products such as makeup, tissues, moisturizers, soaps, sunscreens, incense, razors and shampoos.43 It has also been suggested that biofuels could be obtained from A. vera seeds.46 Other uses for extracts of A. vera include the dilution of semen for the artificial fertilisation of sheep,47 use as fresh food preservative,48 and use in water conservation in small farms.49 Medicine Aloe vera has a long association with herbal medicine, although it is not known when its medical applications were first discovered. Early records of A. vera use appear in the Ebers Papyrus from 16th century BCE,20 in both Dioscorides' De Materia Medica and Pliny the Elder's Natural History written in the mid-first century CE20 along with the Juliana Anicia Codex produced in 512 CE.43 Contrary to the widespread belief that A. vera is non-toxic, excess ingestion of A. vera has been associated with a range of symptoms and conditions including diarrhoea, hepatitis, kidney dysfunction, electrolyte imbalance and reduced CNS activity.8950 However, the species is used widely in the traditional herbal medicine of China, Japan and India.8 A. vera yoghurt A. vera yoghurt Aloe vera is alleged to be effective in treatment of wounds.9 Evidence on the effects of A. vera sap on wound healing, however, is limited and contradictory.9 Some studies, for example, show that A. vera promotes the rates of healing,5152 while in contrast, other studies show that the healing time of wounds to which Aloe vera gel was applied were significantly slower to heal.5354 In addition to topical use in wound or burn healing, internal intake of A. vera has been linked with improved blood glucose levels in diabetics,5556 and with lower blood lipids in hyperlipidaemic patients.57 In other diseases, preliminary studies have suggested oral A. vera gel may reduce symptoms and inflammation in patients with ulcerative colitis.58 Compounds extracted from A. vera have been used as an immunostimulant that aids in fighting cancers in cats and dogs;10 however, this treatment has not been scientifically tested in humans. The injection of A. vera extracts to treat cancer has resulted in the deaths of several patients.59 A. vera extracts have antibacterial and antifungal activities. For example, A. vera extracts have been shown to inhibit the growth of fungi that cause tinea,60 however, evidence for control beneath human skin remains to be established. For bacteria, inner-leaf gel from A. vera was shown to inhibit growth of Streptococcus and Shigella species in vitro.61 In contrast, A. vera extracts failed to show antibiotic properties against Xanthomonas species.62 Biologically active compounds A. vera leaves contain a range of biologically active compounds, the best studied being acetylated mannans, polymannans, anthraquinone C-glycosides, anthrones and anthraquinones and various lectins.81011 See also Aloe Asphodelaceae Herbal medicine Succulent plants References ^ a b c d Akinyele BO, Odiyi AC 2007 Comparative study of the vegetative morphology and the existing taxonomic status of Aloe vera L. Journal of Plant Sciences 25:558-563. ^ John 19:39 New International Version. biblegateway.com. Retrieved on 2008-06-24. ^ a b Forever Living Website. Retrieved on 2008-06-23. ^ a b Miracle of Aloe. Retrieved on 2008-06-23. ^ a b Aloe Vera Australia. Retrieved on 2008-06-23. ^ a b Ernst E. 2000 Adverse effects of herbal drugs in dermatology. Br J Dermatol 143:923-929 ^ a b Marshall JM 2000 Aloe vera gel: what is the evidence? Pharm J 244:360-362. ^ a b c d e f g Boudreau MD and Beland FA 2006 An Evaluation of the Biological and Toxicological Properties of Aloe Barbadensis Miller, Aloe Vera. Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part C 24:103-154. ^ a b c d Vogler BK, Ernst E. Aloe vera: a systematic review of its clinical effectiveness. Br J Gen Pract. 1999 Oct;49447:823-8. ^ a b c GK King, KM Yates, PG Greenlee, KR Pierce, CR Ford, BH McAnalley, and IR Tizard 1995 The effect of Acemannan Immunostimulant in combination with surgery and radiation therapy on spontaneous canine and feline fibrosarcomas. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 31 5: 439-447. ^ a b Eshun, K., He, Q 2004 Aloe Vera: A Valuable Ingredient for the Food, Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Industries-A Review. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 442: 91-96 ^ a b c Yates A. 2002 Yates Garden Guide. Harper Collins Australia ^ a b c d Random House Australia Botanica's Pocket Gardening Encyclopedia for Australian Gardeners Random House Publishers, Australia ^ Gong M, Wang F, Chen Y. 2002 Study on application of arbuscular-mycorrhizas in growing seedings of Aloe vera. Zhong Yao Cai 251:1-3. ^ a b Aloe vera, African flowering plants database. Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève. Retrieved on 2008-06-20. ^ Taxon: Aloe vera L. Burm. f.. Germplasm Resources Information Network, United States Department of Agriculture.. Retrieved on 2008-07-16. ^ a b Ombrello, T. Aloe vera. Retrieved on 2008-06-21. ^ Liao Z, Chen M, Tan F, Sun1 X and Tang K 2004 Microprogagation of endangered Chinese aloe Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture 761:83-86. ^ T. T. Jamir, H. K. Sharma and A. K. Dolui 1999 Folklore medicinal plants of Nagaland, India. Fitoterapia 701:395-401. ^ a b c Barcroft and Myskja 2003 Aloe Vera: Nature's Silent Healer. BAAM, USA. ISBN:095450710X ^ Wang H, Li F, Wang T, Li J, Li J, Yang X, Li J. 2004 Determination of aloin content in callus of Aloe vera var. chinensis. Zhong Yao Cai 279:627-628 ^ Gao W, Xiao P. 1997 Peroxidase and soluble protein in the leaves of Aloe vera L. var. chinensis Haw.Berger. Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi 2211:653-654. ^ Lyons G. The Definitive Aloe vera, vera?. Huntington Botanic Gardens. Retrieved on 2008-07-11. ^ Linnaeus, C. 1753. Species plantarum, exhibentes plantas rite cognitas, ad genera relatas, cum differentiis specificis, nominibus trivialibus, synonymis selectis, locis natalibus, secundum systema sexuale digestas. Vol. 2 pp. i, 561-1200, 1-30, index, i, err.. Holmiae Stockholm: Impensis Laurentii Salvii. ^ Newton, L. E. 1979. In defense of the name Aloe vera. The Cactus and Succulent Journal of Great Britain 41: 29-30. ^ Darokar MP, Rai R, Gupta AK, Shasany AK, Rajkumar S, Sunderasan V and Khanuja SPS 2003. Molecular assessment of germplasm diversity in Aloe spp. using RAPD and AFLP analysis. J Med. Arom. Plant Sci.252: 354-361. ^ a b Treutlein, J., Smith, G. F. S., van Wyk, B. E. Wink, W. 2003. Phylogenetic relationships in Asphodelaceae Alooideae inferred from chloroplast DNA sequences rbcl, matK and from genomic finger-printing ISSR. Taxon 52:193. ^ Jones WD, Sacamano C. 2000 Landscape Plants for Dry Regions: More Than 600 Species from Around the World. California Bill's Automotive Publishers. USA. ^ Farooqi and Sreeramu 2001 Cultivation of Medicinal and Aromatic Crops Revised ion. Orient Longman, India. p. 25. ^ Global Compendium of Weeds Aloe vera Aloeaceae. Global Compendium of Weeds. Retrieved on 2008-06-20. ^ BBC Gardening, Aloe vera. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved on 2008-07-11. ^ Pest Alert: Aloe vera aphid Aloephagus myersi Essi.. Florida Department of Agriculture Consumer Services. Retrieved on 2008-07-11. ^ Kemper Center for Home Gardening: Aloe vera. Missouri Botanic Gardens, USA. Retrieved on 2008-07-11. ^ a b Coleby-Williams, J. Fact Sheet: Aloes. Gardening Australia, Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved on 2008-07-08. ^ Aloe vera producer signs $3m China deal. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved on 2008-07-08. ^ More Medicinal Plants Grow in Ciego de Ã?vila. invasor.cu. Retrieved on 2008-06-25. ^ Korea interested in Dominican 'aloe vera'. DominicanToday.com-The Dominican Republic News Source in English. Retrieved on 2008-07-19. ^ Vaibhav Varma. India experiments with farming medicinal plants. channelnewsasia.com. Retrieved on 2008-06-25. ^ Harnessing the potential of our aloe. Jamaica Gleaner, jamaica-gleaner.com. Retrieved on 2008-07-19. ^ Kenya: Imported Gel Hurts Aloe Vera Market. allafrica.com. Retrieved on 2008-06-25. ^ US Farms, Inc. - A Different Kind of Natural Resource Company. resourceinvestor.com. Retrieved on 2008-07-19. ^ Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169 ^ a b c Reynolds, T. 2004 Aloes: The Genus Aloe. CRC Press ^ Liza Armstrong. Clean and green. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved on 2008-06-20. ^ Yagua unveils cosmeceutical beverage. Decision News Media. Retrieved on 2008-06-20. ^ Shukla S.. Aloe Vera has biodiesel potential, reveals MSU study. Retrieved on 2008-06-21. ^ Rodriguez F, Baldassarre H, Simonetti J, Aste F, Ruttle JL. 1988 Cervical versus intrauterine insemination of ewes using fresh or frozen semen diluted with aloe vera gel. Theriogenology 305:843-54. ^ Serrano M, Valverde JM, Guillen F, Castillo S, Martinez-Romero D, Valero D. 2006. Use of Aloe vera gel coating preserves the functional properties of table grapes. J Agric Food Chem 54 11: 3882-3886. ^ Water conservation. The Hindu, India. Retrieved on 2008-07-14. ^ Bottenberg et al. 2001 Oral Aloe Vera-Induced Hepatitis. Ann Pharmacother. 41:1740-1743 ^ Heggers JP, Elzaim H, Garfield R. 1997 Effect of the combination of Aloe vera, Nitroglycerin and L-NAME on wound healing in the rat excisional model. J Alt Comp Med 1997; 3:149-153. ^ Davis RH, Leitner MG, Russo JM, Byrne ME. Wound healing. Oral and topical activity of Aloe vera. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 1989; 79:559-562. ^ Schmidt JM, Greenspoon JS. Aloe vera dermal wound gel is associated with a delay in wound healing. Obstet Gynecol. 1991 Jul;781:115-7. ^ Kaufman T, Kalderon N, Ullmann Y, Berger J. Aloe vera gel hindered wound healing of experimental second-degree burns: a quantitative controlled study. J Burn Care Rehabil 1988; 9:156-159. ^ Yongchaiyudha S, Rungpitarangsi V, Bunyapraphatsara N, Chokechaijaroenporn O. 1996 Antidiabetic activity of Aloe vera L juice. I. Clinical trial in new cases of diabetes mellitus. Phytomedicine 3: 241-243. ^ Bunyapraphatsara N, Yongchaiyudha S, Rungpitarangsi V, Chokechaijaroenporn O. 1996 Antidiabetic activity of Aloe vera L juice. II. Clinical trial in diabetes mellitus patients in combination with glibenclamide. Phytomedicine 3: 245-248. ^ Nassiff HA, Fajardo F, Velez F. 1993 Effecto del aloe sobre la hiperlipidemia en pacientes refractarios a la dieta. Rev Cuba Med Gen Integr 9:43-51 ^ L. Langmead, R. M. Feakins, S. Goldthorpe, H. Holt, E. Tsironi, A. De Silva, D. P. Jewell, D. S. Rampton 2004 Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral aloe vera gel for active ulcerative colitis. Alimentary Pharmacology Therapeutics 19 7 , 739-747 doi:10.1111/j.1365-2036.2004.01902.x ^ Skinner WJ. Aloe vera injections result in medical license suspension. Natural Medicine Law 1997; 1:1. ^ Sumbul Shamim, S. Waseemuddin Ahmed, Iqbal Azhar 2004 Antifungal activity of Allium, Aloe, and Solanum species. Pharmaceutical Biology 42 7 491-498. ^ Valerie A. Ferro, Fiona Bradbury, Pamela Cameron, Eisin Shakir, Sabita R. Rahman, and William H. Stimson 2003 In Vitro Susceptibilities of Shigella flexneri and Streptococcus pyogenes to Inner Gel of Aloe barbadensis Miller Antimicrob Agents Chemother 473: 1137-1139. doi: 10.1128/AAC.47.3.1137-1139.2003. ^ S. Satish, K. A. Raveesha, G. R. Janardhana 1999 Antibacterial activity of plant extracts on phytopathogenic Xanthomonas campestris pathovars Letters in Applied Microbiology 282, 145-147 doi:10.1046/j.1365-2672.1999.00479.x Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Aloe vera External links Aloe vera at the Open Directory Project The International Aloe Science Council Retrieved from http://en..org/wiki/Aloe_vera Categories: Aloe | Medicinal plants | Flora of Africa Views Article Discussion this page History Personal tools Log in / create account Navigation Main page Contents Featured content Current events Random article Search Go Search Interaction Community portal Recent changes Contact Donate to Help Toolbox What links here Related changes Upload file Special pages Printable version Permanent link Cite this page Languages БългарÑ?ки Català Corsu Deutsch Español Esperanto Ù?ارسی Français Hornjoserbsce Bahasa Indonesia Italiano עברית Kreyòl ayisyen Magyar മലയാളം Bahasa Melayu Nederlands ‪Norsk bokmÃ¥l‬ Polski Português РуÑ?Ñ?кий SlovenÄ?ina СрпÑ?ки / Srpski Suomi Svenska ไทย Tiếng Việt faka-Tonga Türkçe This page was last modified on 29 August 2008, at 09:2
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