Herbal Supplements

Aloe vera herbals are derived from a native African plant, "aloe". This plant bears several aliases including "lily of the desert", "plant of immortality", "medicine plant". The "aloe" plant contains a bitter tasting fluid, known in Arabic as "alloeh". The Plant

The "aloe" herbal plant belongs to the "Asphodelaceae" family that consists of about 400 known species. The plant is classed as a succulent plant and preferably grows in the drier, and mountainous regions of tropical Africa. The most striking feature of the aloe vera plant are its large, lance-shape leaves which have a sharp apex and spines lining their margins.

Early Uses

More than 3000years ago, the ancient Egyptians used the aloe herbal plant in treatment of skin burns, infections, and eliminating parasites from the body. The fluid extracted from the leaves of the aloe herbal plant served as good purgatives. Certain species of the aloe herbal plant were found to be poisonous because the fluid extracted from their leaves were poisonous to humans. Although a few species of the aloe herbal plant are poisonous, a majority of them have medicinal uses.

The aloe herbal plant has been an object of extensive research since the early 20th century. Studies over the years have revealed that the clear gel derived from the plant has several medical uses including: an ability to heal wounds, ulcers and burns. The proposed mechanism is that the gel, when applied to an injury, coats the injury to prevent secondary bacteria infection and improving the rate of healing.

The Aloe Vera Herbal Juice

The aloe herbal plant is classified as a succulent, and as such is composed of 96% water and 4% active ingredients. These active ingredients include essential oils, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, enzymes, and glycoproteins. Because of the numerous active ingredients, modern healers have often used the aloe herbal plant either alone or in combination with other medicinal plants in the treatment of certain ailments. The aloe herbal juice is known to reduce the intestinal irritations caused by ailments like peptic ulcer disease and colitis.

Aloe Vera Herbal Supplement

Another use of the aloe herbal plant is as a food supplement. The use of this plant is because of the many vitamins and minerals it contains. These nutrients aid digestion and help to improve blood circulation as well as lymphatic flow. The aloe herbal supplement is said to improve functions of the liver, gall bladder and kidneys.

The aloe herbal plant contains at least 3 fatty acids that possess anti-inflammatory properties. These make the aloe herbal supplement helpful for proper stomach and intestinal functioning. The aloe herbal supplement alkalizes the digestive juices in the stomach, reducing indigestion and a propensity to produce peptic ulcer disease.