Scottish Institute of Reflexology

ALOE VERA

Aloe Vera and the Digestive System
Margaret White considers Dr Peter Atherton’s views on the aloe vera plant.

Aloe vera, often called the miracle plant, the natural healer, the burn plant, goes by many names which have survived 400 years or so during which this amazing medicinal herb has benefited mankind. Although there are over 200 species of aloe, there are probably only four or five with medicinal properties, of these aloe barbadensis, (also known as aloe linne) is the most potent. It is the only one entitled to be known as Aloe Vera or the true aloe.
Aloe Vera gel contains at least seventy-five known ingredients and maybe many more which can be divided into the following groups:
Vitamins – It contains a wide range, but the most important ones are the antioxidant vitamins C and L, and beta carotene, the precursor of vitamin A. It is also one of the few plants to contain vitamin B12.
Minerals – These include magnesium, manganese, zinc, copper, chromium, calcium, sodium, potassium, and iron.
Amino Acids – The human body requires 20 amino acids, the building blocks of proteins,  of which aloe vera provides nineteen. More importantly, it provides seven of the eight essential amino acids which cannot be manufactured by the body and which have to be consumed as food.
Sugars – These include the important long chain polysaccharides which act on the immune system to boost its effects.
Enzymes – lipase and proteases which break down food and aid digestion as well as carboxypeptidase which is involved in the anti-inflammatory process.
Plant Sterols – the three main types act as powerful anti-inflammatory agents.
Saponins – these are soapy substances that exert a powerful anti-microbial effect against bacteria, viruses, fungi, and yeast such as candida or “thrush”.
Lignin – this woody substance enables aloe vera to penetrate deep into the skin.
Anthraquinones – The most important ones are aloin and emodin, which are strong pain killers, anti-bacterial and powerful laxatives.
Salicylic Acid – This aspirin-like compound is anti-inflammatory and topically helps to break down dead tissue.

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease: these are inflammatory bowel conditions which may benefit from taking aloe vera. A recent British clinical trial has just demonstrated the superiority of an aloe vera drink over a placebo in the management of ulcerative colitis.
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