Mary Nelson has found relief with a simple plant she keeps on her kitchen windowsill.

Traced back 6,000 years to early Egyptian civilization, where similar versions were depicted on stone carvings, aloe vera has been used to help heal hundreds of minor wounds over the years.

“I keep it there, water it when it needs it and snip a little off whenever there is a cut to tend to,” says the Moncton, N.B., resident of the so-called plant of immortality which was traditionally presented as a burial gift to deceased pharaohs.

“It’s a natural healer and I like that it’s available whenever I need it.”

Native to Africa, the genus containing about 400 species of flowering succulent plants is common everywhere from South Africa’s Cape Province and the mountains of tropical Africa to neighbouring areas such as Madagascar, the Arabian Peninsula and the islands off Africa.

As a member of the lily family, most aloes feature a rosette of large, thick, fleshy leaves that are often lance-shaped with a sharp apex and a spiny margin. The flowers are tubular, frequently yellow, orange or red and are nestled on densely clustered, simple or branched leafless stems

Many species are seemingly stemless, with the rosette growing directly at ground level while other varieties may have a branched or unbranched stem from which the fleshy leaves spring. They may vary in colour from grey to bright green and are sometimes striped or mottled.

In Canada, aloe species tend to be cultivated as drought-resistant plants in pots and, in temperate areas, in gardens. Decorative and valued by collectors of succulents, they are also useful since the species with green dagger-shaped leaves filled with a clear, viscous gel has been purported for centuries to have medicinal properties.

Ancient Greek scientists depended on it to treat wounds, skin abrasions, insect bites, boils, bruises, chapping, bleeding gums, dysentery and as a laxative; the translucent inner pulp and resinous yellow exudate was applied externally to relieve skin discomforts and internally as a laxative.

Some species have also been used for human consumption as a pleasant beverage. For instance, drinks made from or containing chunks of aloe pulp are popular in Asia as commercial beverages and as a tea additive.

For the most part, the gel is looked upon as a healer. Slitting the leaves reveals the potent gel, which appears as a transparent, jellylike substance tucked in the inner part of the meaty leaves.

Several studies, according to Consumer Reports on Health, have suggested that aloe gel applied to the skin may help speed healing of psoriasis along with minor burns, abrasions and sores.

“It is known as a healer,” says Renee Leger, a registered naturopath in Moncton. “It is a natural gel that you can put on the skin and it begins to heal the area immediately.”

Once applied to a wound, aloe increases both the rate of wound closure and tensile strength of the wound via proliferation of cells. Beneficial for skin, liver, nerve and blood cells, it also treats radiation burns with a range of vitamins C, E, zinc and seven superoxide dismutases, an important antioxidant defence. As well, it relieves pain and inflammation in short order.

Dermatologists have been known to use it to speed the healing process subsequent to facial dermabrasions as it helps remove scars from the skin’s top layer. When applied gently to painful lesions like warts, it can provide relief from itching and reduce the risk of infection.

The juice of the plant has been known to heal severe joint and muscle pain associated with arthritis, tendinitis and injuries.

It’s purported to help relieve ulcerous and kidney problems while improving digestion, irritable bowel syndrome, increased stomach acid, peptic and duodenal ulcers and colitis.

Studies also show that aloe vera improves the skin ability to hydrate itself, aids in the removal of dead skin cells and has an effective penetrating ability that helps transport healthy substances through skin.

Little wonder it is one of the most important ingredients in the cosmetic industry, being used in more than 90 per cent of the dermatological extracts manufactured worldwide.

“It’s one of those things that a lot of people find a lot of uses for,” says Dr. Sue Warren, a doctor of naturopathic medicine in Moncton.

“Externally, we use it topically to heal, but it can also be used as a soothing healer internally along the gut lining.”

While external use is relatively safe, the doctor advises anyone considering ingesting aloe to seek medical advice beforehand. Factors like physical health, existing conditions and the amount of aloe should all be reviewed carefully since while the bulk of the aloe leaf is made up of 96 per cent water, the remaining four per cent contains 75 known substances.

Studies abound on how the mixture works on the body of humans and animals.

One animal-based study in the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association found that oral and topical aloe preparations speed wound healing. Animals were given either aloe (100 mg/kg body weight) in their drinking water for two months or 25 per cent aloe vera cream applied directly to wounds for six days. There were positive effects in both cases, with the size of wounds decreasing 62 per cent in the animals taking oral aloe compared to a 51 per cent in the control group. Topical aloe produced a 51 per cent decrease in wound size compared to a 33 per cent in the control group.

Aloe has also been shown to decrease surgical recovery time, according to a report in the Journal of Dermatologic Surgery and Oncology. Eighteen acne patients had facial dermabrasion surgery, in which lesions are scraped away. Dressings were applied to their faces, with half of each person’s face receiving the standard dressing coated with surgical gel, and the other half with aloe added to this dressing. The half of the face treated with aloe healed about 72 hours faster than the other side.

“Any wound we treat, whether it’s suturing a cut or removing a skin cancer, heals better with aloe vera on it,” says Dr. James Fulton, a dermatologist who was the principal author of the report.

source : www.guelphmercury.com