Aloe | Sabir | Sabr

Used for Constipation Relief, Skin Health, and Headaches

FAMILY NAME	Asphodelaceae
BOTANICAL NAME	Aloe Vera
COMMON NAME	Aloe Vera
SAFETY RATING	Generally Safe; More than week of ingesting Aloe Latex can lead to kidney failure; whole leaf preparation should be ingested only by the direction of a physician; Should not be used by women who are pregnant or menstruating; Aloe can also be used as a laxative so avoid if you are suffering from irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease or any other gastrointestinal disease.

PROPHETIC PRESCRIPTION

It was narrated that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was met by a man who complained of eye soreness. He was instructed to apply a bandage with aloe and to cover the eyes [Sahih Muslim 1204]. In another narration Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said Aloe brightens the face and is best applied at Night and removed in the daytime [Mishkat al Masabih, 3333]

Tibb An Nabawi: Aloe vera with Rose oil can be applied to the forehead for the treatment of headaches. It can also reliever canker sores within the mouth or nose. Two spoons mixed with a full glass of water can serve as a laxative and can help in the excretion of phlegm that accumulates in the stomach.

PROPERTIES AND USES

Aloe is an intensely bitter, pungent, and potent stimulating purgative which is antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiviral, antiallergenic, emmenagogue, anti-thelmintic, detersive for ulcers, and anti-inflammatory. In small doses, it is stomachic and tonic while in large doses it is purgative.

Internally, aloe vera is used for chronic constipation, poor appetite, stomach inflammation, digestive problems, and in colonic irrigation. It is never given to pregnant women or to patients with hemorrhoids or irritable bowel syndrome. Since the leaves are strongly purgative, they require great care with dosage. In order to prevent griping in laxative formulations, it is usually combined with Foeniculum vulgare or Tamarindus indica.

Internally, Aloe vera is also used for the treatment of acne, aids, arthritis, asthma, bleeding, blindness, bursitis, cancer, the common cold, colitis, constipation, depression, diabetes, glaucoma, hemorrhoids, lack of menstruation, seizures, stomach ulcers, and varicose veins.

Externally, aloe vera is used for burns, sunburn, wounds, eczema, and to prevent nail biting. It is used topically as a pain reliever for sore nipples and to relieve itching of chickenpox. The juice of Aloe dhofarensis leaves is used for treating headaches, to relieve pain in limbs and joints, skin rash, wounds, swollen or itchy eyes, diabetes and constipation. Aloe leaves and sap are used for skin problems, for treating wounds, and inflammation of the eyes. Aloe, which is native to Yemen, is swallowed with water for treating constipation, to regulate menstruation, and for inducing abortion.

SCIENTIFIC STUDIES

Wound-Healing Activity Clinical evidence has shown Aloe vera to be a wound-healing agent, useful in treating burns, cuts, wounds, scars, and ulcers. According to laboratory studies, the fresh leaf enhances healing of wounded cells and promotes the growth of normal cells. Aloe is an excellent emollient with an outstanding ability to regenerate damaged tissue, from skin ulceration and burns to frostbite, burns, and full face dermabrasion. The topical effects of aloe vera appear to be the result of its wound-healing, anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, emollient, and antimicrobial actions. According to one study, topical aloe gel may improve wound healing.Aloe vera, however, seems to impair healing of deep wounds.

Dermatological Activity Aloe is also valuable in skin care, treating acne, aging skin, allergies, itching, and eczema. It is used in hair care for hair loss, dandruff, and psoriasis. According to a double blind study of 60 people with mild to moderate symptoms of psoriasis, aloe vera cream was shown to be helpful. In another study, aloe gel appeared to make hydrocortisone cream work better. There is evidence that it effectively regenerates injured nerves and is successful in healing leg ulcerations and severe acne and that it promotes hair growth. In one study, frostbite patients who were treated with a product containing 70 percent aloe suffered only from a 7 percent infection rate while those who received no aloe had a 33 percent rate of amputation.

Antiperiodontitis Activity One study injected aloe extracts into the diseased areas of 128 patient suffering from varying degrees of periodontitis. Within one week, symptoms ceased and pain decreased in all patients.

Immunostimulating Activity Acemannan, a water soluble polysaccharide found in aloe vera, is a potent immune system stimulant. Acemannan has shown promise in treating viral infections like HIV, particularly in its early stages. It may also hold promise for treating diabetes and reducing triglycerides and blood sugar. Aloe has been shown to lower blood sugar levels in diabetic mice. While the clinical work on the effects of aloe vera on heart disease is limited, it was found to help prevent heart attacks in those who suffer from heart problems or who have a family history of heart disease. Studies have shown that daily consumption of aloe vera juice lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels by 12 to 14 points in a matter of weeks

Laxative Activity Aloe is taken internally for chronic constipation (particularly when induced by iron supplements), poor appetite, digestive disorders, immune system enhancement, asthma, and colonic irrigation. Aloe vera is rarely prescribed without a carminative, like Foeniculum vulgare or Tamarindus indica, to moderate the tendency to intestinal gripping caused by the crystalline part of aloe called aloin. In commercial juice and gel, the aloin is removed from the leaf, making it soothing to intestinal irritations, peptic ulcers and colitis. Hence, any warnings apply to aloe latex used as a laxative, not the aloe gel or juice commonly consumed by health enthusiasts

Anti Asthma Activity According to one study, the oral administration of Aloe vera for six months produced positive results in the treatment of asthma through the reduction of swelling in the airways

Antiulcer Activity Studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of aloe in treating stomach lesions of peptic ulcer patients. In a study of twelve patients with X-ray confirmed duodenal ulcers, all demonstrated complete recovery after one year of consuming a tablespoon of an emulsion of Aloe vera gel in mineral oil once daily

Antiarthritic Activity Aloe is widely used, both as a liniment and as a drink, to reduce swelling and the pain of arthritis and rheumatism. In animal trials, aloe vera has shown positive results in the treatment of arthritis.

Antidiabetic Activity In the Arabian Peninsula, diabetics consume aloe to help control their blood glucose levels. The effectiveness of aloe in reducing blood sugar levels in non–insulin-dependent individuals was confirmed in a clinical trial. Patients who took one teaspoon of aloe daily for 4 to 14 weeks saw their fasting blood sugar levels reduced by half, without loss of body weight.

REFERENCES

1. Abu Dawud, 2889

2. Bnr ̈nn, AR al-. al-Bnr ̈nn’s Book on Pharmacy and Materia Medica. Ed. and trans. HM Said. Karachi: Hamdard National Foundation, 1973.

9. Ghazanfar SA. Handbook of Arabian Medicinal Plants. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 1994.

10. Ghazanfar SA. Handbook of Arabian Medicinal Plants. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 1994.

11. Lawless J, Allan J. Aloe Vera: Natural Wonder Cure. Thorsons: London, 2000: 50–57.

12. Compton MS. Herbal Gold. St. Paul: Llewellyn, 2000: 132.

13. Tyler VE., Foster S. Tyler’s Honest Herbal. 4th ed. New York: Haworth Press, 1999: 30; Lucas RM. Miracle Medicine Herbs. West Nyack: Parker, 1991: 100–101.

14. Robson MC, Heggers JP, and Hagstron WJ. Myth, magic, witchcraft, or fact? Aloe vera revisited. J Burn Care Rehab 1982; 3: 157–162; Davis RH, Kabbani JM, and Maro NP: Aloe vera and wound healing. J Am Pod Med Assoc 1987; 77: 165–169; Davis RH, Leitner MG, and Russo JM. Aloe vera, a natural approach for treating wounds, edema, and pain in diabetes. J Am Pod Med Assoc 1988; 78: 60–68; Rowe TD, Loevell BK, and Parks LM: Further observations on the use of Aloe vera leaf in the treatment of third-degree X-ray reactions. J Am Pharm Assoc 1941; 30: 266–269; Rowe TD: Effect of fresh Aloe vera gel in the treatment of third-degree Roentgen reactions on white rates. J Am. Pharmacol Assoc 1940; 29: 348–350; Lushbaugh, CC and Hale DB. Experimental acute radiodermatitis following beta radiation. V. Histopathological study of the mode of action of therapy with Aloe vera. Cancer 1953; 6: 690–698.

15. Chithra, P, et al. Influence of Aloe vera on collagen characteristics in healing dermal wounds in rats. Mol Cell Biochem 1998; 181(1&2): 71–76.

16. Schmidt JM, et al. Aloe vera dermal wound gel is associated with a delay in wound healing. Obstet Gynecol 1991; 78: 115–117.

17. Lawless J, Allan J. Aloe Vera: Natural Wonder Cure.Thorsons: London, 2000: 58–63.

18. Syed TA, Ahmad A, Holt AH, et al. Management of psoriasis with Aloe vera extract in a hydrophilic cream: a placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Trop Med Internat Health 1996; 1: 505–509.

20. Davis RH, et al. Aloe vera as a biologically active vehicle for hydrocortisone acetate. J Am Pod Med Assoc 1991; 81(1): 1–9.

21. El Zawahry, M., et al. Intern. Journ. Dermat. 1973; 12(1): 68–74.

22. Heggers, J.P., et al. Journ. Amer. Med. Tech. 1979; 41: 293.

23. Benenson V. Extract of Aloe: Supplement to Clinical Data. Moscow: Medexport: Moscow Stomatologic Inst.

24. Sheets MA, et al. Studies of the effect of acemannan on retrovirus infections: Clinical stabilization of feline leukemia virus-infected cats. Mol Biother 1991; 3: 41–45; Hart LA, et al. Effects of low molecular weight constituents from Aloe vera gel on oxidative metabolism and cytotoxic and bactericidal activities of human neutrophils. Int J Immunol Pharmacol 1990; 12: 427–434; Kemp, MC, et al. In vitro-evaluation of the antiviral effects of acemannan on the replication and pathogenesis of HIV-1 and other enveloped viruses: Modification of the processing of glycoprotein precursors. Antiviral Res 1990; 13(Suppl. 1): 83; Womble D and Helderman JH: Enhancement of all responsiveness of human lymphocytes by acemannan. Int J Immunopharmacol 1988; 10: 967–974; Peng SY, et al. Decreased mortality of Norman murine sarcoma in mice treated with the immunomodulator, acemannan. Mol Biother 1991; 3: 79–87.

25. Compton MS. Herbal Gold. St. Paul: Llewellyn, 2000: 132; Anonymous: Aloe vera may boost AZT. Med Tribune 1991: 4; McDaniel, HR, et al. An increase in circulating monocyte/macrophages (MM) is induced by oral acemannan in HIV-1 patients. Am J Clin Pathol 1990; 94: 516–517; Pulse TL and Uhlig E: A significant improvement in a clinical pilot study utilizing nutritional supplements, essential fatty acids and stabilized Aloe vera juice in 29 seropositive, ARC and AIDS patients. J Adv Med 1990; 3: 209–230; Singer J: A randomized placebo-controlled trial of oral acemannan as an adjunctive to anti-retroviral therapy in advanced HIV disease. Int. Conf AIDS 1993; 9(1): 494. 26. Tyler VE, Foster S. Tyler’s Honest Herbal. New York: Haworth Press, 1999: 30.

27. Ajabnoor MA: Effect of aloes on blood glucose levels in normal and alloxan diabetic mice. J Ethnopharmacol 1990; 28: 215–220.

28. Lawless J, Allan J. Aloe Vera: Natural Wonder Cure. Thorsons: London, 2000: 70.

29. Goldberg B. Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide. Fife, Washington: Future Medicine, 1995: 262.

30. Shida T, et al. Effect of Aloe extract on peripheral phagocytosis in adult bronchial asthma. Planta Medica 1989; 51: 263–266. 32. Blitz, JJ. Smith JW, Gerard JR. Aloe vera gel in pepticulcer therapy: preliminary report. J Am Osteopathol Soc 1963; 62: 731–735.

31. Lawless J, Allan J. Aloe Vera: Natural Wonder Cure. Thorsons: London, 2000: 71–72.

32. Harm. Research 24(4): 288–294; 1986.