Aloe vera, a succulent plant native to Africa, today grows widely throughout the world. For centuries, practitioners of folk medicine have used the gel from the plant's leaves to soothe and speed the healing of wounds and burns. Several over-the-counter sunburn remedies contain aloe vera gel. Research studies on the plant's medicinal properties have produced substantial evidence that its gel can help to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. Consult your doctor before using aloe vera.
Bioactive Compounds
In a review of the scientific literature about aloe vera's medicinal properties, a team of Indian researchers pinpointed some of the plant's bioactive compounds and their roles in wound healing. In an article that appeared in the January-March 2011 issue of the "Asian Journal of Oral Health & Allied Sciences," researchers credited aloe vera's analgesic properties primarily to two classes of chemical compounds: salicylic acid, which has aspirin-like effects, and anthraquinones, which not only help to relieve pain but also inhibit the growth and spread of bacteria. The researchers reported that two aloe vera hormones -- auxins and gibberellins -- and some plant sterols, including campesterol, lupeol and sitosterol, account in large part for the plant's anti-inflammatory activity.
Postsurgical Discomfort
The surgical removal of hemorrhoids is a relatively minor procedure, usually done under local anesthesia. However, postsurgical pain is common and can cause considerable discomfort. Iranian researchers examined the efficacy of an aloe-vera-based cream in reducing this postsurgical pain. They assembled a study group of 49 hemorrhoidectomy patients. Twenty-four patients received topical aloe-vera-based cream on their surgical wounds, and the remaining 25 patients got placebo. Patients were assessed for pain at intervals of 12, 24 and 48 hours after surgery, as well as two and four weeks after surgery. Reporting their findings in a 2010 issue of "The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine," researchers said that those treated with aloe vera cream showed significantly less pain and a faster healing time than those treated with placebo.
Treatment for IBD
Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, which includes the chronic disorders of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, affects large numbers of people worldwide. A team of researchers at London's Queen Mary School of Medicine and Dentistry conducted in-vitro tests to study the effects of aloe vera in reducing the inflammatory characteristics of these intestinal disorders. Specifically, they looked at the effect of aloe vera on the production of reactive oxygen metabolites, eicosaoids and interleukin-8, all of which are considered chemical markers of the inflammation central to IBD. The aloe vera gel showed strong anti-inflammatory properties, and in an article in the March 2004 issue of "Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics," researchers said that their findings offer further evidence that aloe vera gel can play a therapeutic role in treating IBD.
Combats Oral Lichen Planus
Oral lichen planus, or OLP, is a chronic inflammatory condition that targets the mucosal tissues in and around the oral cavity. Thai researchers conducted a study to assess the effectiveness of aloe vera as a topical treatment for OLP. They assembled a study group of 54 patients with OLP. Researchers treated half with aloe vera and half with placebo. In an article in the March 2008 issue of the "British Journal of Dermatology," researchers reported that aloe vera significantly reduced the pain and inflammation of OLP, and that it brought complete remission in two aloe-vera test subjects. They said that their findings confirm that aloe vera is a safe alternative treatment for OLP.
References
- Herbal Information Center: Aloe Vera
- "Asian Journal of Oral Health & Allied Sciences"; Aloe Vera - A Wound Healer; C.H. Uma Reddy, et al.; January-March 2011
- "The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine"; Effects of Aloe Vera Cream on Posthemorrhoidectomy Pain and Wound Healing; Fariborz Eshgi, M.D., et al.; 2010
- "Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics"; Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Aloe Vera Gel in Human Colorectal Mucosa In Vitro; L. Langmead, et al.; March 2004
- "British Journal of Dermatology"; The Efficacy of Aloe Vera Gel in the Treatment of Oral Lichen Planus: A Randomized Controlled Trial; C. Choonhakarn, et al.; March 2008
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