ALOE

Common noun: Aloe
Scientific noun: Aloe vera ( L.) Burm
Family. Liliáceas
Habitat: Native form India, it can be found naturalised in the north of Africa and more rarely in the south of Europe.

Characteristics : Perennial plant of the Lily family - Liliaceae - up to 60 cm. . Succulent leaves in basal rosette , lanceolate, with the margin covered with thorns, glaucous and with reddish tones. Yellow, bell- shaped , hanging flowers, till 2,5 cm in terminal spikes on woody cylindrical stems, without leaves. Fruit in capsule.



Active components:

* Acids: glutaminic, aspartic, aloetic, formic, palmitic and estearic. (Plant) ascorbic ( Leaves)
* Essential oils: Cineole, cariofilene, pinene,
* Minerals: calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, phosphor, manganese, aluminium, (Leaves)
* Amino acids : Aloin, aloesin, arginine, barbaloin, glycine, glutamine, histidine,
serine ( Plant)
* Thiamin


Medicinal properties:

Aloes: Aloes is extracted form de genera Aloe for the elaboration of medicinal products. Aloes is obtained from the sap of the leaves. The extraction is very old and it goes back to the time of the Arab Empire. It is carried out by doing incisions on the leaves and picking up the liquid that oozes from them . This condenses by means of heat and, once solidified, it is good to carry out preparations that are presented fundamentally in form of extracts, dry powder, tincture , capsules or tablets. In the same way it enters in the composition of many cosmetic products. The juice is not usually taken in directly from the plant, since by internal use, when doses are not respected, i can be mortal and, in pure external use, it can damage the skin.

Internal use

Digestive and cholagogue: In cases of inflammation of the stomach, gastritis and gastric ulcers the acíbar has a gastric potent value to recover the gastric mucous , as well as cholagogue - drainage of the bile. (Tablets or drops, distributed along the day, without surpassing the dose of 0.5 gr. per day)

Laxative and purgative : By increasing the previous doses in each one of the takings - One should remember that the daily total intake should not surpass the 0,5 gr. day -the aloe is laxative and in superior doses purgative. This property is due to the influence of the aloine that increases the peristaltic movements of the intestine. (As laxative take 0,03 gr. of dry extract and wait the reaction that takes place after 6 at 8 hours. To obtain a purgative effect the dose should be of 0,1 gr.)

External use

Vulnerary : Aloes possesses antiseptic properties, germicide, antiinflammatory, moisturising and regenerative . Applied on the skin, it turns out to be one of the best remedies against the cure of the wounds, ulcers, burns, stings of insects etc. so, it enters in the composition of many creams for the care of the skin, having being demonstrated its curative power in psoriasis and juvenile acne. In the same way the power of aloe juice has been demonstrated in the cure of the burns caused by radiations .It is also used as solar protector to regenerate the burns because of undue exposure to sunlight. (You can use directly on the skin, once removed the epidermis, in form of plasters. The possibility also exists of mashing it, transforming it into paste, once the fibber removed) ( Other possibility consists on using the gelatine which is obtained by cutting a leaf with a sharpened knife and by pressing the surface of the leaf with the blunt edge. The resulting liquid can be applied on the skin)

Tooth paste : The juice of the plant possesses a tonic and astringent value, being very useful in cases of gingivitis, aphta or other affections of the mouth (Rinsing with the juice of the plant diluted to 50% in water)

Sore throat,tonsillitis: Equally we can carry out gargles with the previous preparation to combat the anginas.

Picking up and storing : The leaves can be picked up every 6 months. Only 2 or 3 leaves should be taken from the same plant.