aloe vera ingredients and active ingredients
It was known to people in Egypt and also Greece for example Aristoteles explains special
charactristics of Aloe vera jelatin that is extracted from this plant is continuously used to treat
burns, cuts and inflamed scars since many years. It is useful for skin damaged from X ray as
reported in many researches in journals related X rays. On the other hand concentration of
glucose in gelatin, results in high osmotic presure, that protect skin from live bacteria. Aloe
vera include ''Antrokinon'' cemicals that are known as anti vir*s, anti b*cter*a and anti c*nc*r.
Aloe vera (Aloe vera )has 400 species but just 2 species; A.barbadensis are used for trade in the
world. This plant need very less water for living and also can survive on saline soils, beaches
and is resistance to diseases and insects. It can live in very hot regions, but cannot tolerate cold.
Aloe vera grows in, Mexico, India, South and centeral America, Africa, Australia, Carribians and
Iran. This paper reviews history, its chemicals, medical usage, plant morphology, extracts and
agronomy of Aloe vera.
The plant of Aloe vera and its usage as drug dates back to 6000
years B.C. The plates blonging to Sumer period during 2200 years
BC, show use of this plant as a drug. In that plates, it is written
about origin of this plant as Africa, that has 240 species and is ever
green. Cleopatra said that her beauty is due to use of Aloe vera
plant. One prescription that belong to 1550 BC shows Aloe vera
plant used for different matters [1]. It was known to people in Egypt and
also Greece for example Aristoteles explains special charactristics
of Aloe vera. Gelatin that is extracted from this plant is continuously
used to treat burns, cuts and inflamed scars since many years. It is
also used in cosmetics sector, medical sector and beverage sectors.
It is useful for skin damaged from X ray as reported in many
researches in journals related X rays. Because of high
concentration of water and oil in this plant, it helps to protect skin
from drieness and so the skin that is burnt or cut heals very quickly
Ancient Egyptian papyrus and Mesopotamian clay tablets
describe aloe. Cleopatra was said to include aloe cream in her
beauty regimen [2]. Aloe was used by Hippocrates and Arab
physicians, and was carried to the Western Hemisphere by Spanish explorers. Legend has it that Alexander the Great captured the island of Socotra in the Indian Ocean to secure its aloe supplies to
treat his soldiers[3].Aloe is also popular in both
traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine (India).
AloeVera: Potentially Active Chemical Constituents
From the gel:
1. Polysaccharides: glucomannan and acemannan
2. Other: carboxypeptidase, magnesium, zinc, calcium, glucose,
cholesterol, salicylic acid,prostaglandin precursors (gammalinolenic
acid [GLA]), vitamins A, C, E, lignins, saponins, plant
sterols and amino acids [3].
From the latex leaf lining:
3. Anthraquinone glycosides: aloin, aloe-emodin, barbaloin
Class Compounds Properties
Anthraquinones/anthrones
Chromones
Enzymes
Inoraganic compounds
Miscellaneous including
organic comounds and lipids
Proteins
Saccharides
Vitamins
Hormones
Carbohydrates
Aloe-emodin, aloetic-acid,
anthranol, barbaloin,
isobarbaloin , emodin,
ester of cinnamic acid.
8-C-glusoly-(2'-O-cinnamoly)
-7-O-methlyaloediol A,
8-C-glucosyl-(S)-aloesol,
8-C-glucosyl-7-O-methylaloediol A,
8-C-glucosyl-7-0-methylaloediol,
8-C-glucosyl-noreugenin,
isoaloeresin D, isorabaichromone,
neoalosin A
Alkaline phosphatese,
amylase,bradykinase,
carboxypeptidase, catalase,cyclooxidase,
cyclooxygenase,lipase, oxidase,
phosphoenolpyruvate, carboxylase,
superoxide dismutase
Calsium,chlorine,
chromium,
copper,iron,magnesium,
manganese,potassium,phosphorous,
sodium,Zinc
Arachidonic acid,
Y-linolenic acid, steroids(campestrol,
cholesterol, Bsitosterol),
triglycerides, triterpenoid, gibberillin,
lignins,potassium sorbate,salicylic acid,
uric acid
Lectins, lectin-like substance
Mannose, glucose, L-rhamnose, aldopentose
Vitamin A, B12,C, E,choline and folic acid
Auxins and gibberellins
salicylic acid, Lignin, Saponins,
Vitamin A, C and E.
Pure mannan, acetylated mannan,
acetylated glucomannan,
glucogalactomannan, galactan,
galactogalacturan,
arabinogalactan,
galactoglucoarabinomannan,
pectic substance, xylan, cellulose
Aloin and emodin,
alprogen. Anti-aging effects [4]
1 Shelton RM. Aloe vera: its chemical and therapeutic properties. Int J
Dermatol .1991; 30:679-83
2 Haller J. A drug for all seasons: medical and pharmacological history of aloe.
Bull NY Acad Sci .1990; 66.
3 Atherton P. Aloe vera: magic or medicine? Nurs Stand .1998; 12:49-52, 54
4 Bensky D, Gamble A, Kaptchuk TJ. Chinese herbal medicine : materia
medica. Seattle, Wash.: Eastland Press, 1993:xxv, 556.
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