Habitat:

A shrub planted in many Indian gardens and found growing throughout India.1

Morphology Description (Habit):

Dried Juice of Leaf is Dark chocolate brown, to black, compact, irregular masses: surface dull, opaque with slightly vitreous appearance, odour, characteristic, taste, nauseous and bitter.1

Parts Used:

Dried Juice of Leaf

Phytochemistry:

Anthraquinone, glycoside

As per Ayurveda:

           Rasa (Taste)                 : Pungent

           Guna (Property)           : Hot

           Veerya (Potency)         : Hot

           Vipaka (End Result)      : Pungent

Pharmacological Actions:

Ghritkumari is Pittahara; its primary pharmacological actions are summarized as under:

Central Nervous System: 

i. A. vera enhances learning and memory, and also alleviates depression.2

Digestive System:

i. Acemannan, a polysaccharide extracted from Aloe vera, can be used for the treatment of oral aphthous ulceration.3

ii. Oral supplementation of Aloe vera could be helpful in alleviating the fibrosis and inflammation of hepatic fibrosis patients.4

iii. Aqueous extract of Aloe vera gel is hepatotherapeutic and thus lends credence to the use of the plant in folklore medicine in the management of alcohol-induced hepatic dysfunction.5

Endocrinal System: 

i. Exerts positive benefits in Prediabetes and Early Diabetes.6

ii. It is observed to be useful in metabolic syndrome.7

iii. Aloe gel may be a safe anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hypercholesterolemic agent for hyperlipidemic type 2 diabetic patients.8

iv. Improves insulin-sensitivity via suppression of obesity-related inflammation.9

Cardiovascular System: 

i. Exerts beneficial effects in obesity-related inflammation.10

Reproductive System: 

i. Treatment with Aloe vera gel in PCOS exerts significant benefits in lipid profile, and causes reversion of abnormal estrous cyclicity, glucose intolerance, and lipid metabolizing enzyme activities, bringing them to normal. It has phyto-components with anti-hyperlipidemic effects and it has shown efficacy in management of not only PCOS but also the associated metabolic complication : dyslipidemia.11

Skin and Hair: 

i. Promotes wound healing process.12

ii. Comprises of tyrosinase inhibitor entities.13

iii. Topical application of Aloe vera gel was observed to be useful in MDR bacterial leg ulcers.14

iv. Exerts significant anti-psoriatic activity.15

v. A. vera extract may be used as a promising novel antifungal treatment.16

vi. Protects against UV-induced skin damage.17

Others: 

i. Aloe vera possesses significant anti-inflammatory property. It can be used as an adjunct to mechanical therapy for treating plaque-induced gingivitis.18

ii. Possesses significant antioxidant activity.

iii. Promotes immunity.

Indications:

Liver Dysfunction

Constipation

Dryness of Skin, Premature Skin Aging

Dry and Brittle Hair

References:

1. The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Part-1, Vol-1.

2. Halder S, Mehta AK, Mediratta PK. Aloe vera improves memory and reduces depression in mice. Nutr Neurosci. 2013 Nov;16(6):250-4.

3. Bhalang K, Thunyakitpisal P, Rungsirisatean N. Acemannan, a polysaccharide extracted from Aloe vera, is effective in the treatment of oral aphthous ulceration. J Altern Complement Med. 2013 May;19(5):429-34.

4. Hegazy SK, El-Bedewy M, Yagi A. Antifibrotic effect of aloe vera in viral infection-induced hepatic periportal fibrosis. World J Gastroenterol. 2012 May 7;18(17):2026-34.

5. Saka WA, Akhigbe RE, Ishola OS, et al. Hepatotherapeutic effect of Aloe vera in alcohol-induced hepatic damage. Pak J Biol Sci. 2011 Jul 15;14(14):742-6.

6. Choi HC, Kim SJ, Son KY, Oh BJ, Cho BL. Metabolic effects of aloe vera gel complex in obese prediabetes and early non-treated diabetic patients: randomized controlled trial. Nutrition. 2013 Sep;29(9):1110-4.

7. Devaraj S, Yimam M, Brownell LA, et al. Effects of Aloe vera supplementation in subjects with prediabetes/metabolic syndrome. Metab Syndr Relat Disord. 2013 Feb;11(1):35-40.

8. Huseini HF, Kianbakht S, Hajiaghaee R, Dabaghian FH. Anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hypercholesterolemic effects of Aloe vera leaf gel in hyperlipidemic type 2 diabetic patients: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Planta Med. 2012 Mar;78(4):311-6.

9. Shin E, Shim KS, Kong H, et al. Dietary Aloe Improves Insulin Sensitivity via the Suppression of Obesity-induced Inflammation in Obese Mice. Immune Netw. 2011 Feb;11(1):59-67.

10. Shin E, Shin S, Kong H, et al. Dietary Aloe Reduces Adipogenesis via the Activation of AMPK and Suppresses Obesity-related Inflammation in Obese Mice. Immune Netw. 2011 Apr;11(2):107-13.

11. Desai BN, Maharjan RH, Nampoothiri LP. Aloe barbadensis Mill. formulation restores lipid profile to normal in a letrozole-induced polycystic ovarian syndrome rat model. Pharmacognosy Res. 2012 Apr;4(2):109-15.

12. Khan AW, Kotta S, Ansari SH, et al. Formulation development, optimization and evaluation of aloe vera gel for wound healing. Pharmacogn Mag. 2013 Oct;9(Suppl 1):S6-S10.

13. Wu X, Yin S, Zhong J, Ding W, et al Mushroom tyrosinase inhibitors from Aloe barbadensis Miller. Fitoterapia. 2012 Dec;83(8):1706-11.

14. Banu A, Sathyanarayana B, Chattannavar G. Efficacy of fresh Aloe vera gel against multi-drug resistant bacteria in infected leg ulcers. Australas Med J. 2012;5(6):305-9.

15. Dhanabal SP, Priyanka Dwarampudi L, Muruganantham N, Vadivelan R. Evaluation of the antipsoriatic activity of Aloe vera leaf extract using a mouse tail model of psoriasis. Phytother Res. 2012 Apr;26(4):617-9.

16. Bernardes I, Felipe Rodrigues MP, et al. Aloe vera extract reduces both growth and germ tube formation by Candida albicans. Mycoses. 2012 May;55(3):257-61.

17. Reuter J, Jocher A, Stump J, et al. Investigation of the anti-inflammatory potential of Aloe vera gel (97.5%) in the ultraviolet erythema test. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2008;21(2):106-10.

18. Ajmera N, Chatterjee A, Goyal V. Aloe vera: It's effect on gingivitis. J Indian Soc Periodontol. 2013 Jul;17(4):435-8.

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