Aloe vera: properties of its pure gel and plant care

He aloe vera It is a cactus-like plant that grows in warm climates and is very present in the Mediterranean arc and in the Canary Islands, as well as in Andalusia.

The gel found inside its leaves has been used since ancient times to soften the skin, treat skin conditions and help heal the woundsbut aloe vera it has many other health benefits.

Cannot be sure How long has aloe been used (aloe vera) as a medicinal plant. What is certain is that he has played an important medicinal role in many civilizations.

Some of its first uses are recorded on a clay tablet from the year 2,100 BC, but also drawings of this plant can be found on the walls of ancient Egyptian templesdating back six millennia.

The Egyptians gave it the nickname of plant of immortality for being included in the embalming process.

The Israelites of Solomon’s time They extolled its aromatic and medicinal properties, and in Mesopotamia they drank a concoction based on aloe, hemp and palm tree wine, the Elixir of Jerusalem, because they considered that it gave them health and longevity.

Around the year 600 BC, aloe reached India and Persia, introduced by the Arabswho already used it both externally and internally.

Current knowledge about the virtues of aloe comes from the Greek Herbalist What did Dioscorides write? (41-68 AD), where detailed for the first time that the content of its leaves could treat boils, hemorrhoids, wounds and burns.

In the fifteenth centuryits cultivation spread throughout America at the hands of the Jesuits Spaniards, who used it as an excellent emergency remedy.

Today the use of aloe is so widespread which can be found both in pharmaceutical preparations and in juices, yogurts or children’s diapers.

Aloe vera plant: characteristics

Although aloe closely resembles a cactusactually it is a fleshy and perennial plant that belongs to the lily familyas well as onions, garlic and asparagus.

There are more than 260 species of aloe and their number is increasing, since new hybrids are always being created.

Its habitat is desert or semi-desert., although it can also grow in rocky areas of temperate zones, where rainfall is scarce. In Murcia and the Balearic Islands there are large areas dedicated to the cultivation of aloe.

aloe leavesthat They are perennial and of a green color that turns towards blue.They have a lanceolate shape have a tough cuticle and spines distributed throughout its perimeter.

Older plants may have up to thirty leaves and the weight of one of them reaches, in some cases, up to a kilo.

Aloe flowers usually appear around the third year of age.which is when the plant already really has all its active ingredients to be used as medicine.

Pure Aloe vera: the gel from its leaves

Leaves They constitute the useful part of this planta, because in them all its active principles are concentrated.

If a sheet is cut crosswise with a sharp knife, it can be seen that the outer part is a greenish barkabout two millimeters thick, which secretes a yellowish liquid.

This crust surrounds the pulp, a translucent, gelatinous and colorless mass.

The outer part of this cortex is formed by several layers of epidermal cells that make up an elastic membrane capable of becoming waterproofclosing all their stomata during sunny hours.

Beneath this membrane, and occupying almost the entire cortex, there is a zone of longitudinal channels through which the sap of the plant circulatesvery rich in bitter substance called aloin.

In the center of the sheet the pulp is found, composed of parenchymatic cells that form a spongy and mucilaginous tissue in which the plant stores its water reserves.

The leaves are collected in spring and summer.before flowering, and are industrially processed to obtain their two main products: aloe gel and aloe vera.

Pure aloe vera gel: its composition and derived products

Aloe gel or juice is obtained from the pulp from the leaves, which give off a mucilaginous, transparent and tasteless broth. He is responsible for the fame that this plant is acquiring in recent years, especially for its notable effects on skin health.

The juice is made up of more than twenty substances:

amino acids (basic components of proteins); anthroquinones of analgesic, antibactericidal and antifungal action;enzymes that transform the proteins obtained through the diet into amino acids that are absorbed by the body and become proteins again; lignin and saponins that facilitate the penetration of the gel and that have cleansing and antiseptic properties;minerals which are involved in the formation of bone and cartilage tissue and which regulate the osmosis of organic tissues and the formation of substances of high biological value; acemannan of immunostimulating action; vitamins A, C, E and group B that exert a antioxidant effect against free radicals, and water in its highest proportion.

How to know if it is pure aloe vera

The label indicates its quality: this list collects, In order from highest to lowest quality, the commercial names of aloe:

natural aloe gel. Undiluted and unprocessed tissue obtained from the leaves.stabilized gel. Undiluted natural fabric, but processed.Aloe 100%, processed and preserved liquid of the leaf that does not exceed 50 ppm of aloin.Concentrated. Aloe gel without its natural water, mechanically extracted,reconstituted gel. Aloe concentrate mixed with water.Complete gel. It contains 50% of its pulp.spray gel. dried by that method,reconstituted powder. Spray-dried gel mixed with water,in juice. It has at least 50% gel.aloe drink. Contains between 10% and 50% gel.Extract. It only has 10% aloe, dissolved in water and other compounds.

Aloe vera: properties

Due to its unique chemical composition the aloe plant has the ability to heal your wounds almost instantly to prevent the water inside from being lost.

Be supposed to this self-regeneration ability is what gave the key to ancient civilizations to start using it.

The multiple studies carried out on aloe to determine its therapeutic action have found interesting properties that allow for the successful treatment of various ailments.

Skin problems. The polysaccharides contained in aloe, including acemannan, stimulate the multiplication of fibroblast cells, increasing metabolic activity and cell reproduction, which explains the success of aloe in treating viral infections such as herpes, healing burns, and above all wound healing, as it accelerates the healing process by up to 50%, without the formation of keloids thanks to its ability to rebuild tissues without preventing oxygen from reaching the wound.antiaging. It is enough to make a facial mask of fresh aloe gel obtained directly from the leaf once or twice a week so that the aloe stimulates the production of fibroblastic cells in the dermis, which are responsible for the formation of collagen, reducing the existence of wrinkles and reducing the appearance of new ones.Depigmenting. Those people who, due to age or due to excessive exposure to the sun, appear dark spots on the skin due to hyperpigmentation you can use the gel or directly a piece of freshly cut aloe leaf. It is applied every night directly on the affected area and repeat the operation until the stain begins to disappear (two to four weeks).bleeding gums. Natural aloe gel is used, preferably obtained from the fresh leaf, or aloe juice diluted with water, in the proportion of two tablespoons of aloe juice and half a glass of water. once stirred mouthwashes are made, three times a dayafter each meal, without ingesting any other liquid until after 20 minutes.Cold sores. Mannose phosphate, present in the gelacts as a tissue growth agent and its beneficial effect on ulcers, especially mouth ulcers, has been proven.Tartar. The bactericidal, antiviral and fungicidal action of aloe inhibits the growth of Streptococcus mutants, responsible for tartar. In addition, it strengthens the gums.Digestive system and intestinehe. Perhaps this is the most surprising property of aloe juice, since drunk pure or diluted— calm the acidity stomach, reflux and inflammation of the intestine. This is due to his powerful alkalizing action, which increases the production of digestive mucus and reduces the manufacture of acid. It also facilitates the recovery of esophageal tissue and contributes to speeding up the process of ulcer healing of stomach.Gut flora. The action of aloe juice persists throughout the entire intestinal tract, exerting a calming and emollient effectwhich facilitates the recovery of intestinal flora, minimizes the presence of pathogenic flora and increases the absorption of essential nutrients for the body.
To treat all these digestive problems it is recommended to take a tablespoon of pure aloe juice half an hour before each meal. It is necessary to drink it neat or with very little water and the effects are noticeable after one or two weeks. However, pure aloe juice, sold in herbalists and specialized stores, must contain pulp in its preparation to benefit from all its properties.

What is alcibar or bitter aloe

The acibar or bitter aloe is obtained from the viscous juiceyellowish and localized bitter taste on the surface of aloe leaves.

Once this liquid is extractedand concentrates, either by exposure to the sun or by boiling. As the liquid warms it becomes darker and thicker. When all the water it contained evaporates, it is left to cool. and a hard mass of a dark and shiny color called acibar is obtained..

The acibar is made up between 40% and 80% resins, and up to 20% aloin, an anthroquinone glycoside that is the main active principle of aloe. The acibar is so a substance very powerful effectso his administration must be prescribed by a specialist.

Due to its bitter taste, the acíbar mixed with water It has been used as a popular remedy to prevent nail biting. But it’s definitely your laxative effect what has been traditionally sought.

The pure acibar is usually presented in small pieces or powder and, depending on the dose, it has different effects:

Up to 0.1 g is appetizer, stomach and cholagogue, improving digestion. From 0.1 g is laxative and emmenagogue (increases menstrual flow). In doses of 0.5 g (daily maximum) it acts as energetic and oxytocic purgative (causes uterine contractions).

However, the bitter should not be used as a laxative by women during menstruation, nor by pregnant women, because it could induce abortion; it is also not recommended to those who suffer from hemorrhoids (it can make them bleed) and its taking is prohibited in the children.

Aloe vera: care

Aloe is a…