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Aloe Vera Plant  For centuries, Aloe Vera has been used by many different cultures. The ancient Greeks, the Romans, the Babylonians, Indians and the Chinese have all used Aloe Vera as a medicinal plant. Throughout the years, Aloe Vera (Aloinae) has been called many things: Potted Physician, Wand of Heaven, Wonder Plant, Heaven’s Blessing, and Plant of LifeBotanists have identified at least 200-300 different types of Aloe Vera plants. Of all these types of Aloe, only five have demonstrated medical benefits: Aloe Barbadensis Miller, Aloe Perryi Baker, Aloe Ferox, Aloe Arborescens and Aloe Saponaria. Aloe Barbadensis Miller is the most widely used as well as the most potent. Indigenous to Africa, it is now grown all around the world specifically in warmer, drier climates.  The structures of most Aloe plants are very similar. Aloe grows to maturity in approximately four years, at which time the leaves begin to sprout. They taper to a point near the top of the plant, and the leaves have soft spines every few inches lining their silhouette. The Aloe Barbadensis Miller has about a 12- year life span.According to Dr. Peter Atherton in his book titled The Essential Aloe Vera, “The structure of the Aloe leaf shows the outer-rind about fifteen cell layers thick. The hardness is due to the large amounts of calcium and magnesium present in it. Below the rind are vascular bundles or tubes of xylen and phloem. The xylen transports water and minerals from the roots upwards into the leaves. The phloem transports the synthesized materials down to the roots and other parts of the leaf.” Atherton, P. (1997). The Essential Aloe Vera. Newport Pagnell: Mill Enterprises.
The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the FDA. The products discussed are not intended to diagnose, mitigate, treat, cure or prevent a specific disease or class of diseases. You should consult your family physician if you are experiencing a medical problem. |