Natural Remedies

FAMILY: Liliaceae.
HABITAT: the Mediterranean basin, Eastern India, West Indies, east coast of Africa, the Middle East.
Parts Used: juice condensate.
PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS RECOMMENDED: dry sprayed and titrated anthracene derivatives barbaloina expressed as anhydrous min.19% and max. 21% (Italian Pharmacopoeia X), whose daily dosage ranges from 2 to 3 mg per kg. body weight, preferably given once daily in the evening. Much is also used aloe gel private derivatives of anthracene, which is used for both ingestion and for topical use.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: contains from 15 to 40% of hydroxyanthracene glucosides, in particular aloin, hydroxy aloin and aloinoside (they are all anthraquinones). It also contains amino acids, lipids, phytosterols and polysaccharides. The gel of aloe is very rich in polysaccharides and water.
PROPERTY ‘Therapeutic laxative is known for its stimulant-type laxative bowel movements. At the level of the large intestine the active ingredients of Aloe are attacked by bacterial enzymes of the intestinal flora, and are thus responsible of free anthraquinones therapeutic. This explains the time that passes between the intake of the plant and the emergence of laxative, which can also be for 12-16 hours.
Action on the skin: In addition to these properties laxative Aloe possesses curative properties of interest in skin, mostly in the form of gel. Indeed it has proved useful in burns, sunburns in, in wound healing, nell’acne in purple Bateman and stick injury by insects. Dermoprotective This activity could be due to the remarkable richness of aloe gel in water, exercising and then hydrating, insulating and emollient, but is also linked to stimulation of complement-induced polysaccharide which this drug is very rich.
A clinical trial of 194 women operated on for breast cancer and undergoing radiation therapy showed that the radiation dermatitis improves apparent after application of aloe gel on the skin.
A comprehensive assessment of published studies (in all about 40) evaluated the effect of aloe gel at dermatology. They show that administration to rats by mouth with aloe gel is effective in promoting wound healing, reducing the number and size of papillomas and in decreasing the incidence of malignant tumors of the skin. The topical use of aloe gel is not very effective in preventing lesions caused by radiation and protect against skin damage from sun exposure. Instead it may be useful to relieve herpes, psoriasis, papilloma virus, seborrheic dermatitis, aphthous stomatitis, lichen ruber planus, injury from cold and heat and to promote wound healing. The gel of aloe topically can also have a moderate antibacterial and can be used in photodynamic therapy of some forms of cancer. This study indicates that the gel of aloe as well as by internal and topical possesses interesting properties, but at present data, particularly clinical, is not sufficiently extensive to validate with certainty the properties.
Immunostimulant action: this plant can have action-type immune activation with phagocytosis, ie the ability to encompass and destroy germs, viruses and fungi, by white blood cells.
Action prevalent: laxative as solids, as dermoprotective gel.
More Actions: immunostimulant and healing as a gel.
Main indications: treatment of functional constipation in adults. Also useful in skin diseases of degenerative-inflammatory.
SIDE EFFECTS: May cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, which may in turn cause a decrease in potassium. Abuse of this and other plants rich in anthraquinones may cause addiction resulting in less effective medications.
CONTRAINDICATIONS: E ‘contraindicated in pregnancy, in children under 12 years of age, nell’allattamento in diverticulosis bowel in people with a long large intestine in patients with occlusion or subocclusione bowel in patients with hemorrhoids and / or perianal fistulas.
The extract of this plant should not be administered continuously for a period of eight to ten days. The gel of aloe, however, can also be used for long periods of time.
INTERACTIONS WITH DRUGS: May reduce the effectiveness of the following drugs: antiarrhythmic type quinidine, digitalis, diuretics that cause potassium loss, vincamine and fenoxedil.
Its positive action on the immune system is inhibited by pretreatment of the patient with steroids, which they should be suspended for at least 7-10 days prior to administration of extracts of this plant.