''Aloe vera'' () is a

succulent plant In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', me ...

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriat ...

of the

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

'' Aloe''. It is widely distributed, and is considered an invasive species in many world regions. An

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, whic ...

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also widel ...

, it originates from the

Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula, (; ar, شِبْهُ الْجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّة, , "Arabian Peninsula" or , , "Island of the Arabs") or Arabia, is a peninsula of Western Asia, situated northeast of Africa on the Arabian Plat ...

, but grows wild in tropical, semi-tropical, and arid climates around the world. It is cultivated for commercial products, mainly as a topical treatment used over centuries. The species is attractive for decorative purposes, and succeeds indoors as a potted plant. It is used in many consumer products, including beverages, skin lotion, cosmetics, ointments or in the form of gel for minor burns and sunburns. There is little clinical evidence for the effectiveness or safety of ''Aloe vera'' extract as a

cosmetic Cosmetic may refer to: *Cosmetics, or make-up, substances to enhance the beauty of the human body, apart from simple cleaning *Cosmetic, an adjective describing beauty, aesthetics, or appearance, especially concerning the human body *Cosmetic, a t ...

or topical drug, and oral ingestion has risk of

toxicity Toxicity is the degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a subs ...

Etymology

The genus name '' Aloe'' is derived from the Arabic word ''alloeh'', meaning "bitter and shiny substance" or from

Hebrew Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...

''ahalim'', plural of ''ahal''. The specific epithet ''vera'' comes from ''verus'' meaning "true" in

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...

Common names

Common names use ''aloe'' with a region of its distribution, such as ''Chinese aloe'', ''Cape aloe'' or ''

Barbados Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estima ...

aloe''.

Taxonomy

The species has several

synonyms A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are ...

: ''Aloe barbadensis'' Mill., ''Aloe indica'' Royle, ''Aloe perfoliata'' L. var. ''vera'' and ''Aloe vulgaris'' Lam. Some literature identifies the white-spotted form of ''Aloe vera'' as ''Aloe vera'' var. ''chinensis''; and the spotted form of ''Aloe vera'' may be conspecific with ''A. massawana''. The species was first described by

Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, ...

in 1753 as ''Aloe perfoliata'' var. ''vera'', and was described again in 1768 by

Nicolaas Laurens Burman Nicolaas Laurens Burman (27 December 1734 – 11 September 1793) was a Dutch botanist. He was the son of Johannes Burman (1707–1780). He succeeded his father to the chair of botany at the Athenaeum Illustre of Amsterdam., and at the Hortus ...

as ''Aloe vera'' in ''Flora Indica'' on 6 April and by Philip Miller as ''Aloe barbadensis'' some ten days after Burman in the ''Gardener's Dictionary''. Techniques based on DNA comparison suggest ''Aloe vera'' is relatively closely related to '' Aloe perryi'', a species endemic to Yemen. Similar techniques, using chloroplast DNA sequence comparison and ISSR profiling have also suggested it is closely related to '' Aloe forbesii'', '' Aloe inermis'', ''

Aloe scobinifolia ''Aloe scobinifolia'' is a small, stemless Aloe from Somalia. See also *Succulent plant In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid c ...

'', '' Aloe sinkatana'', and ''

Aloe striata ''Aloe striata'', with the common name coral aloe, is a small, stemless South African Aloe species. Distribution This species occurs quite widely over the southern parts of the Cape Floristic Region, in the Eastern Cape Province and Western Cape ...

''. With the exception of the South African species ''A. striata'', these ''Aloe'' species are native to

Socotra Socotra or Soqotra (; ar, سُقُطْرَىٰ ; so, Suqadara) is an island of the Republic of Yemen in the Indian Ocean, under the ''de facto'' control of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council, a secessionist participant in Yemen� ...

(Yemen), Somalia, and Sudan. The lack of obvious natural populations of the species has led some authors to suggest ''Aloe vera'' may be of hybrid origin.

Description

Acta Eruditorum - IV botanica, 1688 – BEIC 13396043

''Aloe vera'' is a stemless or very short-stemmed plant growing to tall, spreading by offsets.

Leaves

The leaves are thick and fleshy, green to grey-green, with some varieties showing white flecks on their upper and lower stem surfaces.Yates A. (2002) ''Yates Garden Guide''. Harper Collins Australia The margin of the leaf is serrated and has small white teeth. ''Aloe vera'' leaves contain phytochemicals under study for possible bioactivity, such as lignans,

phytosterol Phytosterols are phytosteroids, similar to cholesterol, that serve as structural components of biological membranes of plants. They encompass plant sterols and stanols. More than 250 sterols and related compounds have been identified. Free phyt ...

polyphenol Polyphenols () are a large family of naturally occurring organic compounds characterized by multiples of phenol units. They are abundant in plants and structurally diverse. Polyphenols include flavonoids, tannic acid, and ellagitannin, some ...

s, acetylated

mannans Mannans are polymers containing the sugar mannose as a principal component. They are a type of polysaccharide comprise hemicellulose, a major source of biomass found in higher plants such as softwoods. These polymers also typically contain two ot ...

, polymannans, anthraquinone C-

glycoside In chemistry, a glycoside is a molecule in which a sugar is bound to another functional group via a glycosidic bond. Glycosides play numerous important roles in living organisms. Many plants store chemicals in the form of inactive glycosides. ...

anthrone Anthrone is a tricyclic aromatic ketone. It is used for a common cellulose assay and in the colorimetric determination of carbohydrates. Derivatives of anthrone are used in pharmacy as laxative. They stimulate the motion of the colon and reduce ...

s, and other anthraquinones, such as emodin and various lectins.

Flowers

The flowers are produced in summer on a spike up to tall, each flower being pendulous, with a yellow tubular

corolla Corolla may refer to: *Corolla (botany), the petals of a flower, considered as a unit *Toyota Corolla, an automobile model name *Corolla (headgear) A ''corolla'' is an ancient headdress in the form of a small circlet or crown. Random House Australia ' Like other ''Aloe'' species, ''Aloe vera'' forms arbuscular mycorrhiza, a symbiosis that allows the plant better access to mineral nutrients in soil.

Distribution

''A. vera'' is considered to be native only to the south-east

in the

Al Hajar Mountains The Hajar Mountains ( ar, جِبَال ٱلْحَجَر, Jibāl al-Ḥajar, ''The Rocky Mountains'' or ''The Stone Mountains'') in northeastern Oman and also the eastern United Arab Emirates are the highest mountain range in the eastern Arabi ...

in north-eastern Oman. However, it has been widely cultivated around the world, and has become naturalized in North Africa, as well as Sudan and neighboring countries, along with the

Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, :es:Canarias, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to ...

, Cape Verde, and Madeira Islands. It has also naturalized in the

Algarve The Algarve (, , ; from ) is the southernmost NUTS II region of continental Portugal. It has an area of with 467,495 permanent inhabitants and incorporates 16 municipalities ( ''concelhos'' or ''municípios'' in Portuguese). The region has it ...

region of Portugal, and in wild areas across southern Spain, especially in the region of Murcia. The species was introduced to China and various parts of southern Europe in the 17th century. It is widely naturalized elsewhere, occurring in arid, temperate, and tropical regions of temperate continents. The current distribution may be the result of cultivation.

Cultivation

''Aloe vera'' has been widely grown as an ornamental plant. The species is popular with modern gardeners as a topical medicinal plant and for its interesting flowers, form, and succulence. This succulence enables the species to survive in areas of low natural rainfall, making it ideal for rockeries and other low water-use gardens. The species is hardy in

zones Zone or The Zone may refer to: Places Climate and altitude zones * Death zone (originally the lethal zone), altitudes above a certain point where the amount of oxygen is insufficient to sustain human life for an extended time span * Frigid zone, ...

8–11, and is intolerant of heavy frost and snow. The species is relatively resistant to most insect pests, though spider mites, mealy bugs,

scale insects Scale insects are small insects of the order Hemiptera, suborder Sternorrhyncha. Of dramatically variable appearance and extreme sexual dimorphism, they comprise the infraorder Coccomorpha which is considered a more convenient grouping than t ...

, and aphid species may cause a decline in plant health. This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. In pots, the species requires well-drained, sandy potting soil, and bright, sunny conditions. Aloe plants can turn red from sunburn under too much direct sun, though gradual acclimation may help. The use of a good-quality commercial propagation mix or packaged "cacti and succulent mix" is recommended, as they allow good drainage. Terra cotta pots are preferable as they are porous. Potted plants should be allowed to completely dry before rewatering. When potted, aloes can become crowded with "pups" growing from the sides of the "mother plant". Plants that have become crowded can be divided and repotted to allow room for further growth, or the pups can be left with the mother plant. During winter, ''Aloe vera'' may become dormant, during which little moisture is required. In areas that receive frost or snow, the species is best kept indoors or in heated glasshouses. Houseplants requiring similar care include haworthia and agave. There is large-scale agricultural production of ''Aloe vera'' in Australia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, China, Mexico, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Spain, and the United States, with much of the output going toward the cosmetics industry.

Uses

Two substances from ''Aloe vera'' – a clear

gel A gel is a semi-solid that can have properties ranging from soft and weak to hard and tough. Gels are defined as a substantially dilute cross-linked system, which exhibits no flow when in the steady-state, although the liquid phase may still di ...

and its yellow

latex Latex is an emulsion (stable dispersion) of polymer microparticles in water. Latexes are found in nature, but synthetic latexes are common as well. In nature, latex is found as a milky fluid found in 10% of all flowering plants (angiosperms ...

– are used to manufacture commercial products. Aloe gel typically is used to make topical medications for skin conditions, such as burns, wounds, frostbite,

rash A rash is a change of the human skin which affects its color, appearance, or texture. A rash may be localized in one part of the body, or affect all the skin. Rashes may cause the skin to change color, itch, become warm, bumpy, chapped, dry, c ...

es,

psoriasis Psoriasis is a long-lasting, noncontagious autoimmune disease characterized by raised areas of abnormal skin. These areas are red, pink, or purple, dry, itchy, and scaly. Psoriasis varies in severity from small, localized patches to comple ...

, cold sores, or dry skin. Aloe latex is used individually or manufactured as a product with other ingredients to be ingested for relief of

constipation Constipation is a bowel dysfunction that makes bowel movements infrequent or hard to pass. The stool is often hard and dry. Other symptoms may include abdominal pain, bloating, and feeling as if one has not completely passed the bowel moveme ...

. Aloe latex may be obtained in a dried form called ''resin'' or as "aloe dried juice". There is conflicting evidence regarding whether ''Aloe vera'' is effective as a treatment for wounds or burns. There is some evidence that topical use of aloe products might relieve symptoms of certain skin disorders, such as

acne Acne, also known as ''acne vulgaris'', is a long-term skin condition that occurs when dead skin cells and oil from the skin clog hair follicles. Typical features of the condition include blackheads or whiteheads, pimples, oily skin, and ...

, or

es, but topical application may cause an

allergic reaction Allergies, also known as allergic diseases, refer a number of conditions caused by the hypersensitivity of the immune system to typically harmless substances in the environment. These diseases include hay fever, food allergies, atopic derm ...

in some people. ''Aloe vera''

is used commercially as an ingredient in

yogurt Yogurt (; , from tr, yoğurt, also spelled yoghurt, yogourt or yoghourt) is a food produced by bacterial fermentation of milk. The bacteria used to make yogurt are known as ''yogurt cultures''. Fermentation of sugars in the milk by these bac ...

s, beverages, and some desserts, but at high or prolonged doses, ingesting aloe latex or whole leaf extract can be toxic. Use of topical aloe vera in small amounts is likely to be safe.

Topical medication and potential side effects

''Aloe vera'' may be prepared as a lotion,

, soap or

cosmetics Cosmetics are constituted mixtures of chemical compounds derived from either natural sources, or synthetically created ones. Cosmetics have various purposes. Those designed for personal care and skin care can be used to cleanse or protec ...

product for use on skin as a topical medication. For people with allergies to ''Aloe vera'', skin reactions may include contact dermatitis with mild redness and itching, difficulty with breathing, or swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Dietary supplement

Aloin, a compound found in the semi-liquid latex of some ''Aloe'' species, was the common ingredient in

over-the-counter Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are medicines sold directly to a consumer without a requirement for a prescription from a healthcare professional, as opposed to prescription drugs, which may be supplied only to consumers possessing a valid prescr ...

(OTC) laxative products in the United States until 2002 when the

Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food ...

banned it because manufacturers failed to provide the necessary safety data. ''Aloe vera'' has potential toxicity, with

side effects In medicine, a side effect is an effect, whether therapeutic or adverse, that is secondary to the one intended; although the term is predominantly employed to describe adverse effects, it can also apply to beneficial, but unintended, consequenc ...

occurring at some dose levels both when ingested and when applied topically. Although toxicity may be less when aloin is removed by processing, ''Aloe vera'' ingested in high amounts may induce side effects, such as

abdominal pain Abdominal pain, also known as a stomach ache, is a symptom associated with both non-serious and serious medical issues. Common causes of pain in the abdomen include gastroenteritis and irritable bowel syndrome. About 15% of people have a m ...

diarrhea Diarrhea, also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having at least three loose, liquid, or watery bowel movements each day. It often lasts for a few days and can result in dehydration due to fluid loss. Signs of dehydration often begin w ...

hepatitis Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver tissue. Some people or animals with hepatitis have no symptoms, whereas others develop yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes ( jaundice), poor appetite, vomiting, tiredness, abdominal ...

. Chronic ingestion of aloe (dose of 1 gram per day) may cause adverse effects, including hematuria, weight loss, and cardiac or kidney disorders. ''Aloe vera'' juice is marketed to support the health of the digestive system, but there is neither scientific evidence nor regulatory approval for this claim. The extracts and quantities typically used for such purposes are associated with toxicity in a dose-dependent way.

Traditional medicine

''Aloe vera'' is used in traditional medicine as a skin treatment. Early records of its use appear from the fourth millennium BCE. It is also written of in the '' Juliana Anicia Codex'' of 512 CE.Reynolds, Tom (Ed.) (2004) ''Aloes: The genus Aloe (Medicinal and Aromatic Plants - Industrial Profiles''. CRC Press.

Commodities

''Aloe vera'' is used on facial tissues where it is promoted as a moisturizer and anti-irritant to reduce chafing of the nose. Cosmetic companies commonly add sap or other derivatives from ''Aloe vera'' to products such as makeup, tissues, moisturizers, soaps, sunscreens, incense, shaving cream, or shampoos. A review of academic literature notes that its inclusion in many hygiene products is due to its "moisturizing emollient effect".

Toxicity

Orally ingested non-decolorized aloe vera leaf extract was listed by the

California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, commonly referred to as OEHHA (pronounced oh-EEE-ha), is a specialized department within the cabinet-level California Environmental Protection Agency ( CalEPA) with responsibility for evaluatin ...

among "chemicals known to the state to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity", possibly resulting from the anthraquinones. Use of aloe vera on the skin is generally not associated with significant side effects. Oral ingestion of aloe vera is potentially toxic, and may cause abdominal cramps and

which in turn can decrease the absorption of drugs.

Interactions with prescribed drugs

Ingested aloe products may have adverse interactions with prescription drugs, such as those used to treat

blood clot A thrombus (plural thrombi), colloquially called a blood clot, is the final product of the blood coagulation step in hemostasis. There are two components to a thrombus: aggregated platelets and red blood cells that form a plug, and a mesh of cr ...

diabetes Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ...

, heart disease and

potassium Potassium is the chemical element with the symbol K (from Neo-Latin '' kalium'') and atomic number19. Potassium is a silvery-white metal that is soft enough to be cut with a knife with little force. Potassium metal reacts rapidly with atmos ...

-lowering agents (such as Digoxin), and

diuretic A diuretic () is any substance that promotes diuresis, the increased production of urine. This includes forced diuresis. A diuretic tablet is sometimes colloquially called a water tablet. There are several categories of diuretics. All diuretics i ...

s, among others.

Gallery

File:Aloe vera leaf showing the gel (1).JPG, Leaf and inner gel File:Aloe vera gel.jpg, Gel used for desserts File:Es Lidah Buaya.JPG, Es lidah buaya, an Indonesian ''Aloe vera'' iced drink File:Gelaloevera.JPG, Juice File:Cut Aloe Vera Leaf.jpg, Cut leaf File:Aloe vera cut leaf drawing1.jpg, Diagram of leaf: 1 Cuticle, 2 Chloroplast parenchym, 3 Inner tissue, 4 Vascular bundles File:Aloe Vera Buds.jpg, Buds File:Aloe Vera flower.jpg, Flower buds File:Aloe vera flower 2.jpg, Flowers File:AloeBluhendD2.JPG, Plants of different sizes File:A potted aloe vera plant.jpg, A potted plant File:Aloe plant bud.jpg, Sucker

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Aloe vera

vera Vera may refer to: Names * Vera (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) * Vera (given name), a given name (including a list of people and fictional characters with the name) **Vera (), archbishop of the archdiocese of Tarr ...

Drought-tolerant plants Flora of the Arabian Peninsula Garden plants of Africa