PLANT NAME: Aloe vera

OTHER NAMES OR SIMILARLY USED SPECIES: A. ferox, A. barbadensis, A. vulgaris, A. perfoliata, A. capensis, A. perryi, A. bainesii, A. saponaria

COMMON NAMES: Aloi, pänini 'awa'awa [Hawai'i]; aloe [English]; lu hui, nu hui, no hui, xiang dan [China]; rokai [Japan]; rapahoe [Tahiti]; kumari, kattarvala [India]; ghui kumari [Nepal]; sink-am-bible [Creole].

PLANT PART USED: Different parts of Aloe have different effects on the body. The yellow sap that emerges from near the skin of a sliced Aloe plant is called "bitter aloes" (luhui). Energetically cold, it is dried, and used as an irritant laxative... a purgative. See Cautions and Contraindications.
The Aloe gel from the center of the leaf is much milder. The gel is used internally to soothe the digestive tract and topically for burns.

TOXICITY: Chronic long-term toxicity.

CAUTIONS AND CONTRAINDICATIONS:
CAUTION FOR INTERNAL LONG-TERM USE
• Not during pregnancy, menstruation, with hemorrhoids or liver / gall bladder degeneration.
• Long-term use can lead to loss of electrolytes, especially potassium. Long-term use can (rarely) lead to hyperaldosteronism, heart arrhythmias, nephropathies, edemas, and accelerated bone deterioration, albuminuria and hematuria.

ENERGETIC CAUTIONS:
• Not in rectal bleeding from cold deficiency.
• Not with spleen qi deficiency ~.

PREPARATION OF MEDICINE:
• Pills powder or gel. Fresh or dried.
• Gel topical as needed.
• Aloe vera leaf of length 15-18 cm. Boil in water and add sugar for oral use [China].
• 1 leaf about 15 cm in length mashed and soaked in a cup of water for 20 minutes, then strained and drunk [Belize].

DOSAGE: Bitter aloes (luhui): 0.01-0.6 gram (laxative). 1.0 to 1.5 g (drastic). Gel: Topical as needed. Gel internal: 2-6 oz twice a day.

STATUS IN HAWAI'I: Alien. No pest factor.

MERIDIAN AFFINITIES: Large intestine, stomach, liver

TRADITIONAL CHINESE ENERGETIC FUNCTIONS (~ = extrapolated):
1) Clears heat and moves the bowels.
2) Drains heat and fire.
3) Clears liver heat and damp heat.
4) Cools the blood ~.
5) Invigorates blood ~.
6) Promotes the menses ~.
7) Promotes healing and benefits the skin ~.
8) Benefits the digestion ~.
9) Kills parasites.

POSSIBLE DRUG INTERACTIONS:
• Can cause potassium deficiency when used with thiazide diuretics, licorice, and corticosteroids [Brinker 2001]. This can increase toxicity of digoxin [Brinker 2001; Chen 2004].
• Potentiates the hypoglycemic effects of glibenclamide, and (topically in mice) the anti-inflammatory effects of topical hydrocortisone [Okyar 2001].
• Can cause a strong odor when used for radiation burns [Leonard 2003].

GATHERING: Can be smelly and messy.

NOTES 'N QUOTES
"I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon."
- - Proverbs 7:17.
• Greek physician Dioscorides wrote of Aloe for constipation, burns and kidney ailments. Pliny (Caius Plinius Secundus, A.D. 23-79) recommended rubbing the leaves on male genital ulcers [Greece].

Aloe spp. References

Arvigo 2001; Bensy 1986; Beppu 2003; Brinker 2001; Chen 2004; Chithra 1998; Choi 2001; Corsi 1998; Davis 1989(a); Davis 1989(b); Davis 1989(c); Duansak 2003; Furukawa 2002; Ghannam1986; Lee CK 1997; Lee 2000(a); Lee KH 2000(b); Leonard 2003; Lewis 1977; Lim 2003; Macias 2004; Malterud 1993; Mindell 1992, 2000; Norikura 2002; Okyar 2001; Pecere 2000; Qiu 2000; Saada 2003; Shamaan 1998; Shimpo 2000; Shimpo 2002; Somboonwong 2000; Strehlow 1988; Vazquez 1996; Visuthikosol 1995; Womble 1988; World Health Organization; 1998; Yagi 2002.

http: / / chili.rt66.com / hrbmoore / ManualsMM / HerbRep3.txt
http: / / metalab.unc.edu / herbmed / eclectic / kings / aloe.html
http: / / newsbureau.upmc.com / Medsurg3 / FinkShockStudy2004.htm
http: / / www.medscape.com / server-java / MedLineApp? / member-search / getdoc.cgi?ord=6&searchid=1&have_local_holdings_file=0&local_journals_only=0
http: / / www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80 / entrez / query.fcgi?CMD=Display&DB=PubMed
http: / / www.wholehealthmd.com / refshelf / substances_view / 1,1525,10001,00.html#Dosage_Information