Aloe vera is a succulent plant that originated in the eastern and southern parts of Africa but is now cultivated nearly everywhere, according to Medicinal Herb Info. The juice from its thick leaves is used to make a number of medicinal preparations, so the plant is often kept growing in a pot for handy access when needed. Although some remedies call for drinking aloe vera juice, you should be aware that it is a powerful laxative and may cause severe diarrhea, low blood sugar or bleeding problems, according to the National Center for Complementary or Alternative Medicine or NCCAM. Before you begin to use aloe vera juice, talk about it with your health care provider.
Burn Healing
One of the more common uses of aloe vera juice is as a topical treatment for minor to moderate skin burns says MedlinePlus. This use seems to be supported by clinical studies. One such study was undertaken at Panjab University Department of Microbiology in Chandigarh, India. The study results were published in the June 2010 issue of "Journal of Infection in Developing Countries" and showed that aloe was helpful in treating infected skin burns in animal test subjects.
Colitis Treatment
MedlinePlus reports that although there is not much information about how aloe compares to other treatments for ulcerative colitis, there has been some promising research that suggests it may be beneficial for this use. There needs to be more research to find out more about how it helps the condition and how its use compares to the use of other medications for colitis.
Diabetes Care
Recent clinical studies have shown that aloe vera may be a natural way of reducing blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes patients. One of these studies was conducted at Sahm Yook University Department of Pharmacology in Seoul, South Korea and published in the September 2009 issue of "Phytomedicine." The research concluded that orally administered aloe vera was successful in lowering blood sugar levels in diabetics who controlled their condition through diet alone. You should discuss the use of aloe for treating your diabetes with your health care provider.
Anti-Inflammatory Propeties
Aloe vera juice has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. In fact, one study concluded that aloe has more potent anti-inflammatory effects than 1 percent hydrocortisone cream.
Psoriasis Relief
Psoriasis sufferers have long turned to aloe vera for relief. Now there has been clinical research to support its use for treating psoriasis. One study was held at University of Louisville Division of Dermatology and published in the June 2010 edition of the "Journal of Drugs in Dermatology." This study looked at a number of herbal skin care ingredients to determine their effectiveness. Aloe vera was found to be one of the most effective ingredients in treating psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.
Cancer Treatment
Another surprising benefit of aloe vera juice is in helping to prevent cancer cells from increasing. This was discovered in a recent research study conducted at China Medical University School of Pharmacy. The study's results were published in the September 2010 edition of "European Journal of Pharmacology." The study looked at the effects of aloe on lung cancer cells in vitro and the results showed that the aloe was able to stop the growth of the cells and even kill some of the cells.
Radiation Protection
Not only is aloe potentially helpful for cancer prevention, but it may help protect against some of the harmful effects of radiation treatment. A study conducted in Siberia at the Institute of General and Experimental Biology and published in the June 2009 issue of "Georgian Medical News" infused aloe in a solution in vitro and tested for radiation damage. The study concluded that aloe has remarkable radio-protective abilities.
Antioxidant Effects
Aloe has been found to have powerful antioxidant properties, according to a recent study conducted at Peking Union Medical College in Beijing, China. The results were published in the June 2010 edition of the "Journal of Asian Natural Products Research." Researchers extracted three new compounds from aloe and studied their properties in the laboratory. The three new compounds are called 3'-O-acetyl-5-hydroxylaloin A (2), 2',6'-O-diacetyl-5-hydroxylaloin A (4), and 4',6'-O-diacetyl-5-hydroxylaloin A (5). They were studied along with three previously known compounds in aloe. Researchers concluded that these compounds produce antioxidant effects. Antioxidants help the body eliminate cell-damaging free radicals that can cause premature aging and other health problems.
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