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Aloe Vera Plant Care and Use

Aloe Vera plants look like cactuses but actually belong to the lily family. It is a perennial drought-resistant plant that has been used for centuries in the healing of burns, injuries and in treating many internal conditions and improving immunity. The ancient Egyptians used it for treating war wounds. Cleopatra is said to have used it to preserve the beauty and freshness of her skin. Aloe Vera contains active ingredients in the gel and rind of the leaves that have analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Aloe Vera flourishes in warm, dry climates. The plant stays moist by closing its pores to prevent loss of moisture in conditions in which other plants wither and die.
There are over 200 varieties of Aloe but it is the “True” Aloe or Aloe Vera that has all those great medicinal properties. Aloe Vera specifically refers to Aloe Barbadensis Miller. This is a plant that is 60 to 90 cm high with leaves that measure 7 to 10 cm across at the base, and weigh 1.5 to 2 Kg. The part of Aloe Vera that is used for medicinal purposes comes from the leaves in gel and juice forms.
Aloe Vera plant has leaves all year round and flowers from May to June. The plant flourishes in light or sandy soils as well as medium soils that are well drained. Aloe Vera grows in nutritionally poor soil. It cannot grow in the shade.
The leaf structure of Aloe is made up of four layers:

1. Rind – This is the protective outer layer
2. Sap – This is a layer of bitter fluid. The bitter layer protects the plant from animals.
3. Mucilage
4. Gel - the inner part of the leaf that is filleted out to make Aloe Vera gel.

The leaves yield both gel and juice, although the two terms are used interchangeably sometimes. This presumes that they are one and the same. This is not quite true. Gel refers to the inner part of the leaf, while juice is the bitter sap that is found under the skin of the leaf. The juice has laxative properties, while the gel has other curative properties like healing of injuries, burns, improving the skin etc.
The gel contains aloectin B, which stimulates the immune system. This helps Aloe Vera gel to heal wounds, burns and skin disorders by placing a protective coating over the affected area. The yellow sap that is found at the base of the leaf contains anthraquinones and is useful to help the digestive process and also acts as a powerful laxative.

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