Reviewed by 

SIAHMSR 

 Written by Dr. Sanjana V.B Bhms,dbrm,cdn

Founder & medical director of siahmsr wellness.in

all rights reserved with siahmsr digital healthcare[siahmsr wellness]

Aloe Vera - For glowing skin &hair

  Aloe Vera is a cactus-like plant that grows in hot, dry climates in subtropics worldwide. The scientific name of Aloe vera is Aloe barbadensis miller. It belongs to Asphodelaceae (Liliaceae) family.

Aloe Vera is grown in dry regions of India also where it is found in Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

   Aloe Vera is a natural plant which is used as food, cosmetic and supplement since ancient times. However, oflate many clinical trials and studies have been conducted on various properties of aloe Vera.

 A few studies show the potential of aloe Vera as a good topical agent for ageing skin.

 Aloe Vera is an excellent natural agent for removing fine lines and wrinkles on the skin.

 It intensely hydrates your skin and gives moisturized, supple look to it.

 It is an excellent topical agent with anti-ageing properties and used for enhancing the beauty and health of skin.

Aloe Vera is used in combination with many ingredients to improve the beauty of skin and hair.

Aloe Vera is consumed as a juice or liquid as it is a good laxative, but FDA has warned against its excessive intake due to some risk associated with aloe Vera intake orally.

 

Historical significance

   Aloe Vera has been known for centuries due to its medicinal and cosmetic properties. The ancient Greek scientists regarded Aloe Vera as the “universal panacea “due to its numerous medicinal properties.

The Egyptians considered Aloe Vera as “the plant of immortality.”

   The name Aloe Vera is derived from the Arabic word “Alloeh” meaning “shining bitter substance,” while “vera” in Latin means “true.”

 Aloe Vera was a popular medicinal plant of Greece, Egypt, India, Mexico, Japan and China since ancient times. Egyptian queens Nefertiti and Cleopatra used Aloe Vera gel as one of the main ingredients of their regular beauty regimes.

It was known for its property of wound healing since time immemorial and The Macedonian emperor Alexander the Great, and Italian explorer and navigator Christopher Columbus used it to treat soldiers’ wounds.

 Today, the Aloe vera plant has been used for various purposes in Modern medicine as well as complementary and alternative medicine.

 

 Health benefits of Aloe Vera

·       Antioxidant properties

 Aloe Vera helps to remove the free radicals causing oxidative stress to your skin as it is rich in vitamins A (beta-carotene), C and E, which are very effective antioxidants. These antioxidants can prevent premature ageing due to free radical attack on your skin.

·       Anti-inflammatory action

Aloe vera has good anti-inflammatory properties. Bradykinase enzyme in aloe Vera helps to reduce excessive inflammation on the skin if you apply the aloe Vera gel on your skin.

·       Antibacterial & antimicrobial properties

Aloe Vera contains 6 antiseptic agents: Lupeol, salicylic acid, urea nitrogen, cinnamonic acid, phenols and sulfur. They all have inhibitory action on fungi, bacteria and viruses. Therefore , improves your skin health.

·       Helps wound healing

Aloe Vera has wound healing potential due to its polysaccharide compounds which can stimulate skin fibroblast activity and proliferation, which in turn significantly increases collagen production which may lead to wound healing and repair.

·       Anti-ageing properties

It contains vitamins A (beta-carotene), C and E, which are antioxidants capable of protecting your skin from free radical mediated injury or oxidative stress. Bradykinase enzyme in aloe Vera helps to reduce excessive inflammation.

Aloe Vera also has Glucomannan, a mannose-rich polysaccharide, and gibberellin, a growth hormone which can increase collagen production, which gives strength and tightness to your skin.

·       Moisturizes your skin

Aloe V era improves hydration of the skin and gives it moisturized supple look. Mucopolysaccharides in aloe Vera help in binding moisture into the skin.

·       Reduces constipation

Oral consumption of aloe Vera juice may help to reduce constipation due to its laxative properties. However, excessive consumption is not recommended by FDA as it may reduce potassium from the blood which is fatal.

·       Used in tooth gels due to antiseptic properties

Aloe Vera prevents cavity formation in tooth due to its antibacterial and antiseptic properties.

·       Lowers blood sugar levels

Oral intake of aloe Vera juice may reduce blood sugar. However, more extensive studies are recommended for its safe consumption.

 

How does aloe Vera help your skin?

· Aloe Vera Protects against U V radiation damage to skin

Aloe Vera gel as a topical application has been found to have a protective effect against radiation damage to the skin particularly from UV rays of sun.

 A study shows that following the administration of aloe Vera gel, an antioxidant protein, metallothionein, is formed in the skin, which scavenges hydroxyl radicals.

It also prevents suppression of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in the skin. It reduces the production and release of skin keratinocyte-derived immunosuppressive cytokines such as interleukin-10 (IL-10).

·   Aloe Vera improves collagen production on the skin making it more elastic and tighter

 Glucomannan, a mucopolysaccharide, and gibberellin, a growth hormone, of aloe Vera interact with growth factor receptors on the fibroblast of your skin, thereby stimulating their activity. The activated fibroblasts in turn significantly increases collagen production of the skin after topical application on skin or by oral intake of aloe Vera.

 In a nut shell, Aloe Vera stimulates fibroblast which produces the collagen and elastin fibres making the skin more elastic, tight and with reduction in wrinkles and fine lines.

 

·       Aloe Vera helps wound healing and wound repair

 Aloe gel not only increases collagen content of the wound but also changes collagen composition (more type III) and increased the degree of collagen cross linking. Due to these properties, aloe Vera gel can boost wound contraction and increase the breaking strength of resulting scar tissue of wound.

 An increased production of hyaluronic acid and dermatan sulfate in the granulation tissue of a healing wound following oral or topical treatment with aloe vera has been reported[2,3]. Thus, it helps to repair wounds on the skin and improve skin health in general.

 

·    Anti-inflammatory action of aloe vera

 Aloe Vera can prevent excessive inflammation on skin tissue.

It inhibits the cyclooxygenase pathway and reduces prostaglandin E2 production from arachidonic acid.

 Recently, the novel anti-inflammatory compound called C-glucosyl chromone was isolated from gel extracts.

·   Some skin conditions are improved by aloe Vera

Topical use of aloe is promoted for acne, lichen planus (a very itchy rash on the skin or in the mouth), oral submucous fibrosis, burning mouth syndrome, burns, and radiation-induced skin toxicity.

·   Aloe Vera improves hydration of your skin

Mucopolysaccharides of aloe Vera gel help in binding moisture into the skin. It also has cohesive effects on the superficial flaking epidermal cells by sticking them together, which softens the skin.

According to a study the aloe Vera has moisturizing effects on the dry skin. The aloe Vera gel can improve the skin integrity, decrease appearance of fine wrinkle and erythema [8].

Thus, aloe Vera gel as a topical agent helps to hydrate, soften and improve the texture of your skin.

 

Aloe Vera –Physical &chemical properties 

Aloe Vera plant has triangular, fleshy leaves with serrated edges. The flowers may be yellow tubular and its fruit contain numerous seeds.

The leaves of Aloe Vera have special significance. Each leaf is composed of three layers.  An inner clear gel that contains 99% water and rest is made of glucomannans, amino acids, lipids, sterols and vitamins.

The middle layer of latex with the bitter yellow sap contains anthraquinones and glycosides.

The outer thick layer has protective function and helps to produce carbohydrates and proteins.

 

Nutritive value:

Aloe Vera contains various vital vitamins and minerals. It is an excellent source of vitamin A (beta-carotene), C and E, which are antioxidants. It also contains vitamin B12, folic acid, and choline. Minerals calcium, chromium, copper, selenium, magnesium, manganese, potassium, sodium and zinc are also present in Aloe Vera.

Aloe Vera has anti-inflammatory properties due to the presence of enzyme Bradykinase. It helps to reduce excessive inflammation when applied to the skin topically.

Aloe Vera contains some mucopolysaccharide compounds glucomannans/polymannose . These are derived from the mucilage layer of the plant and are known as mucopolysaccharides. The most prominent monosaccharide is mannose-6-phosphate, and the most common polysaccharides are called glucomannans.

It also contains phenolic compounds traditionally known as laxatives. Aloin and emodin act as analgesics, anti-bacterials and antivirals.

 

Is aloe Vera safe for consumption?

In 2002, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a ruling that required manufacturers to remove aloe from over-the-counter laxative products because of a lack of safety data.

 Anthraquinones present in latex are a potent laxative. It increases intestinal water content, stimulates mucus secretion and increases intestinal peristalsis. Aloe Vera preparations in over dose may produce abdominal cramps, diarrhea, red urine, hepatitis, dependency or worsening of constipation.

 Prolonged use of aloe Vera as laxative has been reported to increase the risk of colorectal cancer. Laxative effect may cause electrolyte imbalances also.

 

Clinical trials for aloe Vera as a topical application has been undergone in following skin conditions & other health problems

Seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis vulgaris, genital herpes, skin burns, diabetes (type 2), HIV infection, cancer prevention, ulcerative colitis. Pressure ulcers, mucositis, radiation dermatitis, acne vulgaris, lichen planus, frostbite, aphthous stomatitis, and constipation. Aloe Vera gel helps to improve these conditions to some extent.

  Results of studies regarding the role of aloe Vera on wound healing are mixed with some studies reporting positive results while others showing no benefits.

 

 Contraindication:

1. The intake of aloe Vera is contraindicated in cases of known allergy to plants in the Liliaceae family.

2. Oral aloe Vera intake is not recommended during pregnancy as it is proposed by some studies that aloe Vera may stimulate uterine contractions.

It is contraindicated in breastfeeding mothers, as it may sometime causes gastrointestinal distress in the nursing infant.

Drug Interactions:

 Application of aloe to skin may increase the absorption of steroid creams such as hydrocortisone.

It reduces the effectiveness and may increases the adverse effects of digoxin and digitoxin, due to its potassium lowering effect.

 Combined use of Aloe Vera and furosemide may increase the risk of potassium depletion.

 Aloe Vera can decrease the blood sugar levels and thus may interact with oral diabetic drugs and insulin.

 

 

References

 

1.    Influence of aloe vera on collagen characteristics in healing dermal wounds in rats. Mol Cell Biochem. 1998;181:71–6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9562243/

2.       Heggers J, Kucukcelebi A, Listengarten D, Stabenau J, Ko F, Broemeling LD, et al. Beneficial effect of aloe on wound healing in an excisional wound model. J Altern Complement Med. 1996;2:271–7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9395659/

3.    Anti-inflammatory action: Aloe vera inhibits the cyclooxygenase pathway and reduces prostaglandin E2 production from arachidonic acid. Recently, the novel anti-inflammatory compound called C-glucosyl chromone was isolated from gel extracts. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9579551/

4.    https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/aloe-vera

5.    The Review on Properties of Aloe Vera in Healing of Cutaneous Wounds  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26090436/

6.    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7920425/

7.    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2763764/ 

8.    West DP, Zhu YF. Evaluation of aloe vera gel gloves in the treatment of dry skin associated with occupational exposure. Am J Infect Control. 2003;31:40–2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12548256/

9.    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11867195/

1.    Biochem J.1984 Jun 1;220(2):597-600. doi: 10.1042/bj2200597.Hyaluronate is synthesized at plasma membranes.P Prehm https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11867195/