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research and study. Any further reproduction or distribution of this copy in any form
whatsoever constitutes a violation of copyrights. ‘You ask me what were the secret forces which sustained me during my long 
fasts. Well, it was my unshakable faith in God, my simple and frugal life style, 
and the Aloe whose benefits I discovered upon my arrival in South Africa at 
the end of the 19th century.’ 
 
Mahatma Ghandi 
 
 
In a letter to his biographer Romain Rolland 
 
 
 
The Essential Aloe Vera  
 
 
Author 
Dr Peter Atherton 
 
 
To Alison 
A patient who changed my practice 
 
 
 Dr Peter Atherton 
1st Edition 1996 
2nd Edition 1997 
 
Published by Mill Enterprises, Park Farm, Gayhurst, Newport, Pagnell MK16 8LG. UK. Global Library agents and distributors – Aloe World Limited 
e-mail: aloeworldlimited@aol.com  
http://aloeworldltd.com  
 
ISBN: 0-9540896-0-X 
  
 Contents 
 
 Authors note 1  Introduction 2    Part 1   The History 6  The Plant and its structure 9  Where does Aloe Vera Work? 20  How does Aloe Vera Work? 34  Aloe in the Future 43  Further Reading 48  Glossary 49   Part 2   Research Bibliography 53   
 AUTHORS NOTE 
 
This handbook is designed for educational purposes only and does not endorse any particular brand or 
type of Aloe Vera products. Dr Atherton regrets that he is unable to directly enter into any correspondence regarding his opinion on 
the use of Aloe Vera in particular case histories. Acknowledgements 
 
I would like to thank my wife, Ellen, for suffering with me during our holiday in which I transferred my 
thoughts to paper and for being my sounding board. My thanks also to good friend, Glenda Goodwin, for typing out the original manuscript. I commend her 
for her patience in making the many changes and corrections. My eternal banks to Alison whose personal experience with Aloe Vera led to a change in my practice of 
medicine after twenty-five years of a purely conventional approach. I have also received huge help from Tamsin wright-carpenter in the compilation of the references and 
from Pam Richardson in collating the Anthraquinone Section. Also. Also, thanks to Nick Hutchins for his 
invaluable advice. Finally I would like to thank Forever Living Products (UK) Ltd., for the use of their photographs of Aloe Vera plants. INTRODUCTION 
 
“Aloe, what? Yes, I think that I’ve heard of it. That stuff they put in cosmetics.” 
 
This was part of a conversation that took place just over three years ago with a patient at mine. She was 
the mother of a little boy with eczema, whose problem had apparently miraculously cleared up completely 
after applying a cream containing Aloe Vera with bee propolis. In case you don't know as I didn’t at the time. Bee propolis is obtained from the lining of bee hives and is the substance responsible for keeping 
the hive sterile. It is known to possess powerful antimicrobial properties which make the inside of a 
beehive more sterile than an operating theatre. Bees make propolis by collecting resins from trees such as 
pines and poplars which they then mix with their own enzymes to create the sticky substance called 
propolis or bee glue. Since then I have been fortunate to meet with Dr William Davey who, amongst other things holds a royal 
Charter as Honorary Homeopathic Physician to Her Majesty The Queen. He started life as a chest 
physician but he has also been involved in research. A main part of that research has been into bee 
propolis and his findings are shortly to be published as a thesis. In it he will demonstrate the active 
ingredient in propolis which is a most powerful antimicrobial agent, capable of even killing 
mycobacterium Tuberculosis. He has also shown that the propolis itself is more active as a whole than the pure extract. The idea of synergy in plant ingredients is a theme then I will be dwelling on later in the 
book, as I believe in the truth of an Ayurvedic text from India: 
 
“Extracting drugs from a part of a plant is taking out the intelligence and throwing away the 
wisdom” 
 
The conversation with that mother was not only to change attitude to Aloe Vera, but also to herbal, 
nutritional, and complementary medicine in general. In fact it would totally change my approach to the 
practice of medicine, and change my life. At the time, I confess I was irritated by the mothers remarks and certainly very sceptical as she went on to 
tell me that I must try the cream because it had succeeded where all my moisturisers and steroid creams 
had failed. Eczema, of course, is known to naturally wax and wane, so it had to he coincidental, didn’t it? Up to then I had been a General Practitioner for twenty-five years and a strictly conventional one at that. I left it to my partners to indulge in acupuncture, homeopathy, applied kinesiology and nutritional medicine 
 
 As this patient was also a friend, it was not long before we met again and inevitably the subject of Aloe 
Vera came up. But now I was invited to drink the stuff as well as to rub it on. The more uses she 
mentioned, the more I switched off and the more sceptical I became. However, I knew she wouldn’t go away so I promised that I would read the company literature that she had given me on the previous 
occasion. The company was biased, as I expected it to be, but there was something about this herb's history that 
caught my interest. There were references to Alexander the Great, Cleopatra and Nefertiti, no doubt a 
mythical association, but it prompted me to go as far as asking the secretary of my local post-graduate 
medical centre to dig out anything she could find on Aloe Vera. She came up with forty papers from around the world. Although some were from fairly dubious sources, 
with only one exception they all had something very positive to say about Aloe Vera. Such a high  
 PART I 
 
THE HISTORY 
 
As I said in the introduction, it was the history of Aloe Vera that first aroused my fascination with the 
plant, for it has truly stood the test of time and has been associated with some remarkable people. The name Aloe Vera, or true Aloe, is probably derived from the Arabic word ‘ALLOEH’, Syrian 
‘ALWAI’ or Hebrew ‘HALAL’ meaning a ‘shining bitter substance’. Hence the old laxative remedy ‘bitter Aloes’, still listed in the US Pharmacopoeia today. The German Egyptologist, George Ebers (1837-1898) bought an ancient papyrus, now called the Ebers 
Papyrus, dating from the reign of the Pharaoh Amen-Hotep in 1552 BC. This ancient medical treatise 
listing the use of plant materials as cosmetics and drugs, including Aloes, was found between the knees of a mummy excavated near Thebes in 1858. This papyrus demonstrated the use of Aloe Vera during the 
preceding 2,000 years and listed twelve different formulae for Aloe Vera preparations. Over the centuries, there have been many references to Aloe Vera, in many different cultures, from the 
Ancient Greeks and Romans to Babylonian, Indian and Chinese peoples. Important thinkers such as Celsius from the time of Jesus Christ, through to the Roman physician, Pliny the Elder and the Greek 
Dioscorides all supported the therapeutic importance of Aloe Vera. Galen, the father of modern medicine, 
who was the first doctor to describe how the heart and circulation worked, is known to have used it. The first reference to Aloe Vera in English was made in AD 1655 in a translation from Dioscorides by 
John Goodyear. Dioscorides wrote that this bitter tasting strongly scented liquid had “the power of 
binding or procuring sleep, of drying, of thickening bodies, and loosening of ye belly and of cleansing of ye stomach”. In addition “it stops ye spitting of blood and it cleanseth ye icterus (liver)” and finally, “it 
properly healeth exulterated genitalls”. Dioscorides wrote De Materia Medica from which this was 
translated in AD7O-90. In this treatise he catalogued and described more than 600 plants and plant 
principles. Dioscorides certainly got it right when it came to treating genital lesions as a most recent paper by Dr T A 
Syed et al, published last year, showed that a topical 0.5% Aloe Vera extract in a randomised double blind 
trial, significantly healed the lesions of genital herpes faster than a control, and prevented recurrence. Traders first brought Aloe to London in 1693 and, by 1843, 4,227 gourds were being imported each year. Although physicians had prescribed Aloe for more than 2,000 years, it was not until 1851 that T & H. 
Smith of Edinburgh discovered Aloin, which they believed in small doses acted as a tonic assisting 
digestion and exerting a special influence on the liver. In larger doses it became a strong laxative. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries Aloe remained one of the more popular prescribed and over the counter medicines. The presence or absence of Aloin in modern Aloe Vera products is a controversial issue. Some companies 
filter it out, whereas others leave a little in, so I will look at this closely in the section on Anthraquinones, 
in which chemical group it falls. THE PLANT AND ITS STRUCTURE 
 
In order to understand Aloe Vera's ability to act as a medicinal herb one must have some knowledge of its 
general structure and the contents of the leaves. So, first let us look at it from a botanical point of view 
and see where it fits into the plant kingdom. Description 
 
Aloe Vera is a succulent belonging to the lily family (Liliacae). In this family there are about 3,700 
species of flowering plants, but also included are garlic, onion and asparagus of which the former is also 
accredited medicinal properties. Aloe Vera itself, forms part of a subspecies (the Aloinae) of which there 
are at least 200 to 300 types. No one seems to know exactly how many there are. Most species are non-toxic but there are about 15 poisonous ones containing a deadly hemlock-like 
substance - the method chosen by Socrates to commit suicide. Of the true Aloes there are probably only four or five with documented medicinal benefits. These are: 
 
1. Aloe Barbadensis Miller sometimes called: Aloe Linne or Aloe Vulgaris or the Curacao Aloe. 2. Aloe Perryi Baker, the Socotrine Aloe or Zanzibar Aloe. 3. Aloe Ferox often called Cape Aloe 
 4. The last two and least popular are Aloe Arborescens and Aloe Saponaria which are mainly used 
in Japan. Of all of these, Aloe Barbadensis Miller is the most potent and is the one generally used in commercial 
preparations in the UK and USA. It is really the only species that should be called Aloe Vera and this name should really be reserved 
exclusively for the barbadensis Miller variety. This is because it was first referred to by this name in a 
South African publication “Flora Indira” by N L Burman in 1768. This description preceded the 
publication of Miller's dictionary by at least ten days! This gives it priority. The species is indigenous to Africa, but these plants have become widely distributed both in the Near and 
Far East as well as the West Indies (Aloe Vera arrived on the Caribbean island of Barbados in about 
1650), and the drier parts of Europe such as Spain. Aloe Vera thrives in warm, rather arid areas. Its one great enemy is frost, so it grows well as a pot plant in 
the home, but not outside. If you have one growing on your window-sill, when you next get a bite, a sting 
or a burn, just cut off a leaf and squeeze the gel out on to the painful area and rub it in. Feel the 'First Aid 
Plant' at work! The Structure 
 
The plant takes four to five years to reach maturity when its leaves, which grow from a short stem, are 
about 60 cm (2 feet) in length and about 8-10 cm (3-4 inches) wide at the base. The leaves taper to a point 
and possess soft marginal spines. If the stem is cut transversely the leaves can be seen to be growing in a 
rosette pattern. From the middle of the mass of dark-green leaves, the flower stem develops reaching about 90 cm (3 feet) 
in length and has long, rather tubular yellow flowers. At the base of the mother plant little 'suckers', or 'pups', grow which are easily separated to make new cuttings. The plant can also reproduce by cross 
fertilisation. In the wild the method of pollination is often by humming birds. Aloe Vera, being a perennial, has the life span of about twelve years, but the leaves are usually harvested 
at about three to four years of age. When the outer leaves are harvested, possibly up to three times a year, 
the plant is able to 'seal' itself against water loss. This protective habit is peculiar to succulents. Within a 
few seconds of the wound being inflicted it films over and during the next few minutes a rubber-like protective coating stops further loss of sap, so the stem does not become dessicated and continues to live. In a short time the wound heals completely. No wonder it's called the Wand of Heaven! Inside the Leaf 
 
The structure Of the Aloe leaf (seen below in cross-section) shows the outer-rind about fifteen cell layers 
thick. This is dark-green in colour and has a hard, waxy surface. The hardness is due to the large amounts 
of calcium and magnesium present in it. The greenness comes from chlorophyll which uses sunlight, 
carbon dioxide and water to manufacture the Aloe Vera gel. Below the rind are vascular bundles, or tubes, 
of xylem and phloem. The xylem transports water and minerals from the roots upwards into the leaves, providing ingredients for the manufacturing process. The phloem transports the synthesised materials down to the roots and other parts of the leaf. Small 
pericyclic tubules connect these, and larger tubules running lengthwise down the leaf take nourishment to 
the young 'pups'. Next comes a mucilage layer of long, chain polysaccharides, (the relevance of which 
will be discussed later), forming a container to hold the inner parenchyma or gel. It also maintains the sterility of the inner gel. When a leaf is cut and held up, sap will quickly drain out of the larger tubules and, if this were used on its 
own, it would provide a stunning laxative, because it is composed largely of anthraquinones which we 
will look at in the next section. The leaf and Its contents 
 
In analysing the contents of the leaf, I shall be looking at the three essential ingredients: 
 
- the sap 
- the mucilage - the parenchymatous gel. There are over seventy-five known ingredients in the Aloe Vera leaf, divided into eight distinct 
categories, and I suspect that there are still others to be discovered. However, there is some confusion 
over the exact content of some of the fractions, so I will present a consensus opinion, gleaned from a 
recent literature review. The solid fraction only forms some 0.5 - 1.5% of the plant so this is a relatively 
small amount. Its average pH value is 4.55. In the next chapter we will look at how and where these ingredients work. Lignin 
 
A cellulose based substance found in the gel with no known specific medicinal properties, but it is thought to provide the property of penetration of the human skin in Aloe preparations that contain it. Saponins 
 
Glycosides are thought to comprise about 3 per cent of Aloe Vera gel. They are soapy substances capable of cleansing, and with antiseptic properties. Anthraquinones and Derivatives 
 
There are twelve of these in the complex listed below: 
 
Aloin Barbaloin 
Isobarbaloin Anthranol 
Anthracene Loetic acid 
Emodin Aloe Emodin 
Ester of Cinnamonic acid Ethereal oil 
Chrysophanic acid Resistannol 
 
 
These compounds are found in the sap alone. Traditionally they are known as laxatives, and in high 
concentration on their own, they can be toxic, but within the complex environment of the Aloe Vera plant 
they are not. They are excellent analgesics, or pain killers, and they also possess powerful antibacterial, antifungal and virucidal activity. In order to obtain the painkilling benefit as well as the ability to enhance absorption from the gut, some 
sap containing anthraquinones should be present in any Aloe drink. When present it is obvious, as 
anthraquinones impart a bitter taste and add to the yellow or orange colour of the gel/sap mixture. Aloin 
in high concentration is toxic to fibroblasts so too much Aloin in topical products would kill these cells in 
the dermis and retard healing by lessening fibre production. However, they do have some beneficial skin 
effects which will be described later. Chemistry of Anthraquinones 
 
The main anthraquinone found in the sap, latex or resin in Aloe Vera is Barbaloin which is synonymous 
with Aloin. There are also the derivatives which are anthrones and chromones. These form the phenolic fraction of the sap. Barbaloin is an anthrone - c - glycoside 
 
 
 
After ingestion Aloin is converted by bacterial action in the large bowel to Aloe-emodin-9-anthrone. This is the active ingredient which causes an increase in water content of the large intestine by inhibiting 
electrolyte absorption and stimulating electrolyte secretion. It may also stimulate peristalsis. Minerals 
 
Calcium Magnesium 
Sodium Zinc 
Iron Manganese 
Potassium Copper 
Chromium  
 
There are about thirty vitamins, minerals and trace elements which are essential for good health and 
should be consumed on a regular basis. Many of them work together and depend on others in order to 
function properly. I have listed the more important properties and functions below. Calcium 
 
Primarily has a structural role in bones and teeth but it is also essential for cellular structure and nerve 
transmission. It needs a balance of phosphorous and magnesium to work effectively and Vitamin D is 
required for its absorption. Manganese 
  
 This is a component of many enzymes and is necessary for the activation of other enzymes. These 
substances are complex proteins which act as biochemical catalysts thereby speeding up the route of 
clinical reaction in the plant. Sodium 
 
This is a very important mineral, responsible for preventing body fluids from becoming too acid or too 
alkaline. It is also involved in the electrical conductivity in muscles and nerves as well as the uptake of 
nutrients by individual cells. Copper 
 
Also a component of a number of enzymes and involved in enabling iron to operate as an oxygen carrier 
in red blood cells. Magnesium 
 
This is intimately involved in calcium metabolism during the formation of bone and is needed by nerves 
and muscle membranes to allow them to conduct electrical impulses. Potassium 
 
Like sodium, this is involved in the acid-base balance in the body and also electrical conductivity in 
muscles and nerves. Zinc 
 
Is involved in major metabolic pathways contributing to the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates 
(sugars) and fats. An inadequate intake would have an adverse effect on any tissue that dies and is 
renewed rapidly such as skin, gut lining or the immune system. Recent studies have shown that the 
desperate condition of schizophrenia may be associated with zinc deficiency. Chromium 
 
This is necessary for the proper function of insulin, which in turn controls blood sugar levels, so all 
diabetics require a good intake of chromium. Iron 
 
It is the "haem" part of haemoglobin in red blood cells which enables the transport of oxygen around the 
body as oxyhaemoglobin. Iron deficiency anaemia is very common in those with poor nutrition and in any 
case where there is depletion through chronic blood loss e.g. excessive menstruation. The Vitamins 
 
Vitamin B1 Vitamin B12 Folic Acid 
Vitamin B2 Vitamin C (Vitamin C)*  
 Vitamin B6 Beta Carotene (Vitamin A) (Vitamin E)* 
Choline Niacinamide (Niacin)  
 
*Extra vitamins are often added to the natural ones in the plant extract as they form part of the stabilisation process which ensures that the commercial product remains as near to the natural juice as 
possible, and also acts as a preservative. Vitamins A, C and E 
 
These are the important antioxidant vitamins, which are essential to fight the dangerous free radicals. They influence the immune system and Vitamin C, particularly, assists in wound healing whereas 
Vitamin A is required to maintain normal and night vision. Free radicals are constantly being formed by normal body processes, but they are also produced by any form of combustion such as smoking, exhaust fumes, radiation and even the burning of food, such as on a 
barbecue or in a frying pan. They will try to oxidise tissues and cause great damage triggering everything 
from cancers to cataracts, arterial disease and premature ageing. Look what oxygen does to metal when it 
oxidises it. It produces rust and eventually destroys it - powerful stuff. These oxidising free radicals must be neutralised by the antioxidants, (the main ones are Vitamins A, C 
and E), but also by the mineral selenium and micro-nutrients called bioflavonoids, so I doubt whether you 
can have too many antioxidants in your diet. The B Vitamins, including Choline 
 
These are associated with the production of energy and with amino acid metabolism, so associated with developing muscle mass. Vitamin B 12 
 
This is one of the few plant sources of this essential vitamin needed for making red blood cells, and deficiency will lead to anaemia. Folic Acid 
 
Is very important in the development of blood cells as deficiency will cause anaemia. Amino Acids 
 
The human body requires twenty-two amino acids for good health and all but eight can be made in the 
body. The others, called essential amino acids, have to be taken in as food and together they form the building blocks of proteins from which we manufacture and repair muscle, etc. I will not list all the amino acids but suffice to say that Aloe Vera provides twenty of the twenty-two 
required and seven of the eight essential ones. The missing amino acid is tryptophan, although Bill 
Coates, an American pharmacist and Aloe expert, claims it has this one too. I am not so sure, but to get seven out of eight has to be pretty good anyway. The Acemannan Story 
 
Acemannan is a B - (1,4) - linked acetylated mannan. It possesses three pharmacological actions: 
 
a) primary anti-viral activity b) secondary immunomodulating activity 
c) tertiary activity in reducing opportunistic infections 
 
It also acts synergistically with other drugs such as Azidothymide (AZT) and Acyclovir. These 
effects have been used in the treatment of an onchogenic retrovirus, the feline leukaemia virus, which causes a multi-syndrome disease in infected cats and has been recognised as an animal model 
for human immunodeficiency virus infection. Enzymes 
 
Many enzymes have been identified in Aloe Vera. Some of the most important include: 
 
Peroxidase Cellulase 
Aliiase Carboxypeptidase 
Catalase Amylase 
Lipase Alkaline Phosphatase 
 
These enzymes help to break down food and therefore aid digestion. Some break down starch and sugars, 
for example, amylase, while others catalyse reactions to break down fats, for example, lipase. The 
nutrients in our food therefore, can be more efficiently absorbed. Sugars 
 
Aloe Vera contains both monosaccharides such as glucose and fructose and polysaccharides of which 
perhaps the most important are the polysaccharides. A most significant polysaccharide has been isolated 
by Carrington Laboratories in the USA under the trade name 'Carrisyn'. This demands special attention in 
relation to the immune system and will be discussed in a later chapter. This group of polysaccharides has been called gluco-mannans or polymannose because molecules of 
mannose are linked to molecules of glucose but there are a few more of the mannose molecules. They 
vary in size tremendously from a few hundred daltons (the unit of measurement) to four million daltons 
and are very special sugars because of their mode of absorption from the gut. Most sugars are broken 
down by enzymes, absorbed piecemeal and are then reconstituted, but the long chain gluco-mannans are absorbed whole by certain cells lining the digestive tract. This action is called pinocytosis, which results 
in these sugars entering the blood stream in their original form. Different members of these compounds are thought to improve arthritis, hypertension and indigestion as 
well as lower cholesterol, improve liver function and promote the healing of bone by increasing uptake of calcium and phosphate. In a concentrated form they have been shown to help the inflammatory bowel 
conditions of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. In vitro acemannan has been shown to enhance the capacity of cytotoxic 'T' lymphocytes by almos t
50%. It has also been seen to activate macrophages (chicken) to produce nitric oxide. Nitric oxide
acts as cytotoxic and cytostatic effector in killing tumour cells and intracellular parasites. Drugssuch as Interferon can also induce nitric oxide production by macrophages. Nitric oxide may be a
n
important factor in mediating immune regulation and host defences in mammalian and avia n
species. The stimulation of macrophages has been found in rats to accelerate wound healing. At the time of writing Carrington laboratories acemannan product “Carrisyn” has reached the final
stage of trials and tests before receiving a licence from the FDA for human use in the treatment o f
AIDS. Sterols 
 
These plant steroids are important anti-inflammatory agents, the four main ones being: 
 
Cholesterol Campesterol 
B Sitosterol Lupeol 
 
Lupeol also acts as an antiseptic and analgesic agent. Finally, Aloe Vera does contain some salicylic acid, 
an aspirin-like compound which together with lupeol provide some of its pain-killing properties. Other small molecules found in the solid fraction are plant hormones known as gibberellins and auxins. WHERE DOES ALOE VERA WORK? After reading many books, articles and papers on Aloe Vera in my quest for knowledge about 
this xerophyte (a plant capable of living in arid regions), I soon formed the opinion that it 
only seemed to work in two distinct areas. First it became obvious that it had an effect on surfaces and membranes rather than solid 
organs and, secondly, on conditions that resulted from a disordered immune system. I would 
like to emphasise this point to deter some people from making extravagant claims about its 
effects in other unrelated areas and thereby giving it an ill-deserved reputation as a cure-all. No wonder people with skin conditions and bowel conditions, asthma, as well as genital 
problems claim benefit from Aloe Vera for they are anatomically related, in that they are all 
problems affecting epithelial tissues. An epithelium is an anatomical term which is defined as 
a layer of cells lining the surface of the body, or a cavity that communicates with it. The skin 
is the largest epithelial surface and is in fact the largest organ of the body. It changes when it 
grows hair in the scalp but is very much still an epithelium as it is when it grows nails. When it enters the mouth the epithelium changes to become a mucous membrane as its function has 
changed and it does not need to preserve the body's water as normal skin does. It continues to change as it passes through the oesophagus (gullet), stomach, the small bowel, 
the large bowel and finally at the anus it becomes skin again. The epithelial surface lines the nose and sinuses, trachea (wind pipe) and bronchial tubes in the lungs and it also lines the 
genital tract. One of the commonest criticisms that I hear from my colleagues is that one substance can't 
possibly treat all those different conditions'. Well, of course, Aloe Vera gel is not just one substance. It is a complex interacting mixture as we've seen, containing over seventy-five 
ingredients, and all such conditions that benefit from Aloe Vera are linked by this common 
anatomical thread - the epithelium. I could write a book solely based on anecdotal evidence about Aloe Vera but I shall only cite those events that have occurred either to me personally, my family or my patients, that is, 
events that I have experienced or seen with my own eyes. Skin 
 
Depending on its site, for damaged epithelium to receive the benefits of Aloe Vera it can be 
taken orally - for example, to treat indigestion or heartburn from a hiatus hernia. But as well 
as being ingested, it can be applied topically as in the case of skin damaged through eczema. With topical applications to the skin and scalp, general dermatological principles must still be 
followed, If the skin is dry then it must be moisturised, using an emollient or greasy base and, 
to the contrary, if the skin is oily a non-greasy base must be used. Lotions are best used in hairy areas and dressings are generally needed where skin is ulcerated. On a personal note, to exemplify Aloe Vera's effect on chronically inflamed membranes, I 
discovered to my absolute joy that after taking it daily for about two weeks, my nasal catarrh, 
the legacy of smoking twenty cigarettes a day between 18-41 years of age, disappeared. This, of course, made breathing easier, my sense of taste improved and my tendency to snoring was 
removed. Aloe Vera's anti-inflammatory effects are as follows: 
 
a) by the inactivation of Bradykinin due to a Carboxypeptidase enzyme, capable o f 
hydrolising Bradykinin and Angiotensin 1 in vitro. Bradykinin acting at the site of acute 
inflammation is both a vasodilator and a potent pain producing agent. This may be the 
mechanism whereby pain is decreased by Aloe Vera, although this has not been properl y 
demonstrated in vivo. b) Aloe Vera contains Salicylic acid and also anthraquinones which can be broken down to 
form salicylates. Salicylates are both analgesic and anti-inflammatory, inhibiting the 
production of prostaglandins. The Anti-inflammatory Effect 
 
Inflammation is the response of tissues to injury and is designed to bring cells of the 
immune system to the site of damage. It is a three stage reaction: 
1) increased blood supply to the region 2) increase capillary permeability 
3) emigration of cells out of the blood vessels into the tissues 
This activity is mediated by various systems such as complement, clotting and growth 
factors, and kinins. Also active are the mediators released by Mast cells, Basophils an
d 
Platelets as well as the Eicosanoids generated by many cells at inflammatory sites, followe d 
by Macrophages and Lymphocytes, wherever there is an immunological challenge. The inflammatory process is very necessary and beneficial provided it is not too much or fo r 
too long. It is counter productive when it becomes chronic, causing unpleasant symptoms 
for the individual leading to excessive pain and swelling. Delighted as I am with this result, I am aware that the problem recurs if I leave off the Aloe, 
for about a week, suggesting that it only suppresses the symptoms in this case, and is not a permanent cure for the problem. My wife has noticed that after burning her hands on the AGA oven (her hobby is cooking), 
the swift application of Aloe Vera not only takes the pain away almost instantly, but with 
repeated applications the wounds heal much faster and without scarring. Previous burns have left her with multiple small scars on her hands and wrists but at least now she is not adding to 
them. Now you can see why it's called 'the Burn Plant'. With experience my usage of Aloe Vera in my general medical practice has slowly increased 
over the two years, especially in areas where my usual treatment has failed or not been very 
successful, or where there have been side effects, or where the patient has asked for 
'something natural'. In practice the skin conditions I have found responded best are: 
 
Acne vulgaris and rosacea 
Eczema, especially (atopic) eczema in young children Seborrhoeic dermatitis 
Psoriasis 
Chronic urticaria 
Ulcers 
Tinea pedis (athlete's foot)  
 Wound Healing and Burns 
 
Serious research into the wound healing qualities of Aloe Vera began in the 1930's afte r 
Collins and Collins reported in a 31 year old woman, a case of severe roentgen dermatitis 
with desquamation over an area 4 x 8cms of the forehead and extending above the hairline. Within 24 hours after the treatment with fresh Aloe the itching and burning had subside
d 
completely. Within 5 weeks of continued treatment, there was complete regeneration o f 
sensation and absence of a scar. After 3 months, there was no indication of a relapse an d 
upon exposure to the sun, the forehead appeared to be pigmenting normally along with the 
other exposed skin surfaces. Other experiments followed using both human and animal models where immediate an
d 
delayed histopathalogical changes of the skin in Aloe-treated and non Aloe-treated wounds 
could be observed. Many experiments were performed through the 1950's and 60's which 
consistently demonstrated further wound healing with greatly reduced scarring. By the 1980's key workers like Professor John Heggars and Dr Wendel Winters in the 
USA working in academic plastic surgery units were putting forward hypotheses on the 
mechanisms of the anti-inflammatory and antithermal burn effects. Their conclusions were that Aloe Vera was able to block the formation Thromboxane A2 
which improved tissue survival following either burn or frostbite injury. This was brought 
about by a significantly increased dermal perfusion after the burn, given that Thromboxane 
A2 is a vasoconstrictor. Immunohistochemical assessment of the burnt material showe
d 
markedly decreased levels of Thromboxane A2 in treated groups when compared with 
untreated controls. Robson et al in 1982 also showed Aloe Vera's ability to inhibit prostaglandin an
d 
thromboxane production. They noticed an absence of thromboxane B2 up to 72 hours post 
burn and a decrease in PGF2 levels up to the same time. An important observation that I personally made came about when I conducted a small 
experiment in treating a large ulcer on the shin of an elderly lady with just topical Aloe Vera; 
nothing else. This is probably just about the worst place to get an ulcer as traditionally, by 
whatever method is used, they can take a very long time to heal. I was excited to find an 
example that had just occurred as a result of trauma - she had knocked her leg against the sharp corner of some furniture. I saw it within a few hours of the accident happening and after 
cleaning the wound, persuaded my nursing staff to apply Aloe Vera twice a day under a moist 
dressing. The speed of healing was quite remarkable with no sign of infection, which is the dreaded complication. I am pleased to say that the nurses were also impressed and would like to use it 
again on some of their cases which stubbornly refuse to heal. Quite remarkably this ulcer 
healed with minimal scarring, a typical feature of Aloe treatment. If a result such as this is indeed consistent, then the Aloe Vera approach could save the 
National Health Service an awful lot of money. Other workers also report excellent results with burns and ulcers and in the USA it is 
regularly used in some major burns units. Thromboxanes and Prostaglandins are known to effect: 
 
i) platelet aggregation 
ii) leukocyte adherence 
iii) vasoconstriction  
In Japan since 1976, Professor Keisuke Fujita has been studying the Bradykininase 
activity in a natural Aloe - Aloe Vera Arborescens. He concluded that the anti-
inflammatory enzyme he described was a serine carboxypeptidase which hydrolyse
d 
Bradykinin and Angiotensin l, a vasopressor, in vitro. A later paper from 1993, reinforced the view that this enzyme is one of the key factors 
involved in the pharmacological effectiveness of Aloe. Aloe also contains Salicylic aci
d 
which is both analgesic and anti-inflammatory due to the inhibition of prostaglandin 
synthesis. Other agents which also contribute to the anti-inflammatory effect, found by the Japanese 
workers, are thought to be plant hormones, Lectin like substances such as Aloctin A foun
d 
by Saito et al in 1982. One of the most satisfying aspects of general practice is that we get to know our patients and 
share with them some of the intimate and often amusing events in life. For example, I once gave an elderly gentleman some Aloe for this arthritis and asked to see him two weeks later. When he returned he looked happy and so I suggested that the Aloe must have improved his 
condition. "No," he said. "it's about the same - but I whistle when I walk now and my wife 
says that I haven't done that for twenty years." Another chap, a retired dustman, stopped me in the street to tell me how pleased he was that 
I'd given his wife some Aloe to help her asthma. "It's improved it then, has it?" I asked, to 
which he replied "Yeah, her asthma is great, Doc', but so's my sex life - she can't get enough 
of me!" "I'm really pleased for you," I said, trying hard not to smile as I noticed two litres of Aloe Vera gel in his shopping basket. Aloe Vera is extremely safe and non-toxic and I think that virtually all people who react to 
Aloe Vera are probably reacting to the vehicle or additives necessary to preserve it. Of course, 
someone, somewhere must be allergic to Aloe Vera but, throughout the years, it has consistently been reported as very safe. Most commonly, allergic reactions are due to such 
added substances as lanolin or parabens in the creams, sandalwood or propolis itself. I have 
seen only one reaction to a drink, that was a hyperactive effect, the most likely culprit being 
the sodium benzoate used as a preservative. The leading authority on toxicology in this country is the Poisons Unit at Guy's Hospital in 
London and, when asked about Aloe Vera, they admitted they had very little on file, only that some whole leaf products had been shown to produce abdominal pains and diarrhoea in some 
people. (I will explain the difference between the gel and whole leaf Aloe juice in a later 
chapter.) I believe the only possible source of toxicity would be the anthraquinone fraction; in high concentration. But this level does not exist in the products sold as tonics or health drinks, and 
I believe them to be perfectly safe. Aloe Vera preparations have been sold in the USA for 
many years and, before going on sale to the general public, any American product has to pass 
the strict Food and Drugs Administration tests for safety before it can be sold as a food, in 
which group it is classed. No products are licensed yet to be sold as medicines in the UK. Allergy to Aloe Vera   
 
Only one form of pure reaction to Aloe Vera has been documented and that is discoid o r 
Nummular Eczema following ingestion of the gel. Reduced Pigment Formation 
 
Melanin is formed from the amino acid Tyrosine which is converted by the enzyme 
Tyrosinase to Dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA). This is then polymerised to form melanin. Aloe Vera through its anthraquinone fraction possesses anti-tyrosinase activity thereb y 
reducing skin pigmentation. A preparation containing Aloesin is sold in the Far East for the 
sole purpose of lightening Asian skin. I have not discussed the use of Aloe Vera in cosmetics where it is designed to nourish the skin 
and retard the effects of ageing. It is widely used and the 'with Aloe Vera' handle is becoming 
much more common. Boots the Chemist and Body Shop have used it for a while, but recently Gillette has added Aloe Vera to one of their products to make shaving more pleasant for men. The combination of high quality Aloe in skin preparations firstly helps to moisturise and 
smooth the skin. It penetrates the skin, bringing about anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing 
effects, this includes the reduction and sometimes eradication of 'liver spots' on older skin. Secondly, after penetration, it stimulates the fibroblasts in the dermis to produce more 
collagen and elastin, thereby reducing the tendency to wrinkles which occur as a result of 
reduced collagen levels. Finally, it enhances skin's immune system and therefore lessens the tendency to damage from ultraviolet rays. Finally, before leaving the subject of skin it must be said that even Aloe Vera can have some 
side effects but, far from being harmful, they are generally welcomed. Women in particular, 
after several weeks of using the gel, often remark that their nails grow faster, and are not so brittle; that their hair also grows faster and looks healthier and that because Aloe Vera has a 
vasodilatory effect (opening the blood vessels in the skin) they can develop rosy cheeks. People who are told they look well, generally feel well. The Digestive Tract 
 
The other major organ system where Aloe consistently helps is in the digestive tract, from 
simple dyspepsia or indigestion and heartburn, to reported cases of it healing peptic ulcers, 
but I have no personal experience of the latter. Many ulcers are now known to be due to 
bacterium called Helicobacter Pylori and it would be interesting to see what effect Aloe Vera 
has on this bug. (I am trying to organise some in vitro testing at the time of writing.) If it were 
to be seen to kill this organism and bring about the healing of these ulcers, we would see an explosion in the demand for Aloe Vera and it would save the National Health Service the 
huge amount of money spent on courses of antibiotics used to eradicate the organism. As I've said, in the past, Aloe Vera was used widely as a purgative and an aid to digestion 
generally, so it is not surprising that sufferers from inflammatory bowel conditions like colitis and diverticulitis have reported great results with regular ingestion of Aloe Vera. It must be 
stressed, however, that their symptoms tend to return after stopping the drink so taking Aloe 
Vera gel has to be an on-going habit. These conditions are well known for relapsing and 
remitting, and for some people who have suffered regularly from these unpleasant complaints, 
the reduced frequency and severity of the relapses has been benefit enough. I am often asked  
 if Aloe Vera is available as a suppository but, as far as I'm aware, it is not as yet - but perhaps 
it's in the pipeline!! One condition that I think deserves special mention is the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It 
is the commonest disorder of the bowel in the industrialised western world and the most 
frequent cause for referral to gastroenterologists by family doctors. It is estimated that there may be more than five million sufferers in the UK alone. Irritable bowel syndrome is a collection of symptoms that vary from person to person but the 
most common features are abdominal pains, constipation or diarrhoea with abdominal 
bloating or with the passage of mucous. There is no effect on general health and the sufferers usually maintain their weight. But it can be an extremely debilitating and embarrassing 
condition, and can at times prevent sufferers from going outside and getting on with their 
work or, indeed, their life. Often it is associated with a stress-related emotional upset or 
depression and may be combined with other 'irritable' organs such as the bladder. Conventional treatment is not terribly effective and depends on dietary change, usually with 
an increase in fibre, antidiarrhoeal or bulking agents, antispasmodic drugs, antidepressants and psycho/ hypnotherapy, etc. All these measures are tried because the condition is not fully 
understood. Some think it is due to a disorder of the bowels' regular and smooth peristaltic 
movements - a 'dysmotility', and on the same theme others claim that the gut's sensitivity is 
decreased. Another theory is that there is too much yeast such as Candida albicans in the 
bowel which may be the underlying cause, whilst there is a group of doctors who, as with post-viral fatigue syndrome (to be discussed later), think it is wholly psychological and the 
result of the stresses of modern living. Whatever the cause, it was stated in the British Medical Journal in January 1995: "No 
uniformly successful treatment exists for the Irritable Bowel Syndrome". I know that there are a lot of dissatisfied patients out there, for when the journalist, Hazel Courtney, wrote an 
article on IBS in the Daily Mail in 1994, featuring amongst others, my views on Aloe Vera, it 
generated 10,000 letters asking for more information. Aloe Vera has now become my first line approach in the treatment of confirmed IBS and I have more success with this regime than any other. Unfortunately, it is not successful in every 
case and I suspect the failures tend to occur more where the emotional response to stress is 
greatest, i.e. there is less of a physical component. But it is really reassuring and pleasing to 
hear patients say, as one did, "I can go shopping now with confidence - it's great". Previously 
she could only shop where she had an intimate knowledge of where all the toilets were to be found. I must emphasise that I am talking about Aloe Vera gel, not the old 'bitter aloes' made from 
the sap. This would produce quite different results! How much Aloe Vera did you say you gave him? Immune system 
 
People who take Aloe Vera gel regularly, including myself, report a greater sense of well-
being - they just feel better and more at ease. I believe this comes about because of a well-balanced and effective immune system which the Aloe Vera is capable of modulating. As the immune system exists to protect the body from change caused by invading organisms 
for example, bacteria, viruses or altered cells such as cancer cells, its efficient functioning is 
of extreme importance. It necessitates a very complex system, involving many different elements which I do not claim to fully understand. The study of immunology is a subject in its 
own right. So I will present it in a greatly over-simplified form, in which I shall mention only 
the key players. There is much more going on in the background which modifies the action of 
these key cells, as they do not work in isolation. The immune system is working around the clock to protect the body from attack and therefore 
any disruption to its immediate and efficient response will cause a major problem to the 
individual. Problems can arise where the immune system is under active as well as when it is 
overactive, or even when there is inappropriate action such as when the system attacks the 
host tissues. This action will cause the so-called auto-immune disorders, some common examples being: 
 
Ulcerative colitis 
Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) 
Rheumatoid arthritis 
 
If the immune system is unable to produce an adequate response, the individual can't fight infection and will eventually succumb. The classic instance of such a situation, of course, is 
AIDS or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. If the response is too great, such as the hypersensitive response in allergic asthma, this is a 
harmful response capable of ultimately causing death, so it is vital that the response should be just enough to knock out the enemy without overkill. Such immune responses are occurring in healthy individuals continuously. The immune 
system should be thought of as an essential part of our defence mechanism, continually 
keeping out and destroying invaders and abnormal cells as they appear. Who are the key players? The most important are cells called lymphocytes of which there are two types, B cells and T 
cells which are found in lymphoid tissue and in the blood. Second in importance are cells called phagocytes which are basically scavengers. Some of 
these are found in tissue, while others which are the white blood cells, are found circulating in the blood. B lymphocytes produce antibodies but the T lymphocytes have several functions: 
 
1. They help B cells to make antibodies 
2. They recognise and destroy cells infected with viruses 
3. They activate phagocytes to take up pathogens that they have identified 4. They control the level and quality of the immune response. Life is a constant fight both internally and externally, so I have represented the immune 
response as a battle in which the orders are delivered by messengers. These messengers are 
called cytokines. The cytokine systems orchestrate the T helper cells (lymphocytes) in 
searching out and destroying the enemy and it is at this level where a major component of 
Aloe Vera works. This very important component, acemannan, is found amongst the sugar fraction. It is a long 
chain polysaccharide and acts as an immune modulator. This means it has the ability to either 
enhance or to slow down the immune response and this remarkable activity has been demonstrated and is well documented in laboratory experiments. It has been isolated from Aloe Vera by the Carrington Laboratories in the USA and produced 
as a drug, trade name 'Carrisyn', which has been licensed by the Food and Drugs 
Administration (FDA) to be trialled in human AIDS patients. Ace mannan has attracted enormous interest and the future of Aloe Vera may well be in the success of this component. At the moment it has reached the penultimate stage of testing before it can be licensed for 
unrestricted use in humans. It currently holds a veterinary licence in the USA for the 
treatment of feline leukaemia virus in cats. On the veterinary side in the UK very recent work carried out by Peter Green, an equine vet, 
on post-viral syndrome in horses, has produced some dramatic results. Fortunately, in equine post-viral syndrome, unlike that in human beings, there is a measurable 
entity in the blood. Horses with this condition drop their white blood cell counts to almost 
fatal levels. Peter Green recorded these levels in horses suffering from this condition, then put 
them on a three to five week regime of adding Aloe Vera gel to their feed. Being a sceptic at first - as I was - he was incredibly surprised with his findings as eleven out of fourteen horses  
 treated made a full recovery and returned to eventing, jumping and racing. The affected 
horses all showed increased white cell counts after the course of Aloe Vera. Normally, most 
of these horses would not have expected to recover. In his paper Peter Green says: 
"Nevertheless, despite the limitations of this form of clinical study, we believe that there are 
genuine therapeutic benefits to be gained from the administration of Aloe Vera extracts". I have suggested its use in my patients with post-viral fatigue syndrome on an empirical basis 
and one or two have benefited. However, the numbers are really too small to draw any 
conclusions but, considering there is no other convincing treatment, it must be worth a try. On the basis of what has been said, it would be expected that those suffering with asthma of 
an allergic origin would benefit from Aloe Vera, either for the immunomodulating effect or the natural anti-inflammatory effect. In general, I have found this to be the case, leading to a 
reduction in the number of times they need to use their inhaler and the reduction in the 
frequency of severe disabling attacks. As with post viral syndrome I have not seen sufficient 
cases to be absolutely sure about it, but it certainly calls for some research - a topic I will 
return to at the end of the book. Finally, on this subject, I must tell you Alison's story. The young woman to whom this book is dedicated and the patient who convinced me that there really was something worthwhile in 
Aloe Vera. Alison is a delightful young woman whom I have treated for fifteen years. She suffers with 
Still's disease or juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. This condition has been progressive since she 
was a child and because of its severity and the deformity it has caused, she has been under regular specialist supervision and has received a variety of potent conventional treatments, 
both drug treatments including high-dose non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) 
and hydrotherapy. She has borne her disability bravely but about eighteen months ago she 
came to the surgery complaining that she needed more anti-inflammatories to control her pain 
and stiffness, but couldn't take any more because of the abdominal pain these caused. Catch 22. I didn't know what else to suggest so I said, "You wouldn't like to try a sort of wacky 
cactus juice that's supposed to have a natural anti-inflammatory effect as well as settling 
stomachs would you? Unfortunately, I can't prescribe it and you'll have to buy it from a local 
agent." Alison and her mother, who was present during the consultation, said they would try anything 
to get some relief. So Alison started a course of Aloe Vera gel. It was agreed that she would not reduce her current level of drugs but just add in the Aloe 
Vera and record the amounts of NSAIDS she took, the amount of Aloe Vera and her symptoms on a daily basis. I was to see her every two weeks. After a few weeks we were both thrilled to see an improvement. Her abdominal pain 
disappeared, she was in less pain and she certainly looked better and happier - even to the 
extent of getting rosy cheeks for the first time. Over the subsequent months she started to 
reduce her NSAID level until, eighteen months down the road, she only takes about half the 
amount she used to, still with no side effects. Her quality of life has no doubt improved and witnessing this change, albeit in only one patient, but one of my most difficult therapeutically, 
was a turning point for me. Thank you, Alison. This kind of arthritis I suspect is helped by a combination of anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory factors. However, Aloe Vera does seem to help the other 'wear and tear' 
type of arthritis - osteoarthritis, so the use of aloe in these cases must be worth investigating. We have looked at acemannan but there are other aspects of polysaccharides, according to 
American nutritionist Dr E. Harendal, listed below. They are found in every single cell in the 
body and they play a crucial role by: 
 
a) lining the colon to prevent absorption of toxic waste 
b) providing a life-saving barrier against microbial invasion for each cell, especially 
viruses 
c) providing critical lubrication of joints 
d) helping to maintain the capacity of movement of fluids 
e) allowing the transfer of gases in the lungs 
f) facilitating the absorption of water, electrolytes and nutrients in the gastro Intestinal 
tract. Dr Harendal believes they are as vital to a healthy body as bricks are to a house. HOW DOES ALOE VERA WORK? We know that an Aloe Vera leaf is approximately 99 per cent water. Therefore, the total amount of 
nutrient is in the remaining 1 per cent of the plant. In this 1 per cent, seventy-five ingredients form a 
cocktail of all the substances previously mentioned and in their relatively small amounts they would not 
be expected to have much effect, certainly not the results that have been witnessed. Why? The answer I believe lies in their synergistic action. Synergism is defined as, "the working together of two 
or more drugs, muscles, etc., to produce an effect greater than the sum of their individual effects", and it 
is that balance that has taken thousands of years to evolve in this amazing plant and which produce its 
dramatic results. Synergism in Phytotherapy 
 
The scientific development of conventional or allopathic medicine required that the prescription drugs
would be uniform chemical substances that would produce a consistent physiological effect. Hence the
practice of isolating in chemically pure form the biologically active substances or "active ingredients"
from botanical formulations. The tenet of the active ingredient is deeply ingrained in allopathic
medicine. Herbal preparations taken from whole stems, roots, leaves and fruits containing huge numbers o
f
phytochemicals stretch the boundaries of the conventional medical paradigm. The method of action is also often different whereas a cancer drug may kill cancer cells directly 
a
herbal preparation may cause either the malignant cells to differentiate into normal, healthy cells o r
perhaps stimulate the body's immune system to better fight and destroy the abnormal cells. Together with these views, Professor Henri Sharman, a physician from Ohio State University, believes
that antioxidants work synergistically to neutralise free radicals, especially Vitamin C, Vitamin E,Carotene and various bioflavonoids. Ayurvedic herbal preparations are formulated just to maximise
such synergistic action. Complex herbal mixtures are more potent because they contain both water soluble and fat soluble
antioxidants, therefore they are capable of scavenging free radicals both inside and outside the cell. I
t
is also important to remember that natural-sourced and synthetic vitamins do not have the same
composition nor the same biological activity. In respect of Vitamin E for example, studies have show n
a preferential functional uptake and retention of the natural Vitamin E as compared to the syntheticform. Professor Sharman believes that herbal preparations have a synergistic multifaceted healing capacity,
which warrants further systematic exploration for the benefit of humanity, leaving all preconceive
d
notions behind. This plant has the ability to: 
 
(a) provide essential nutrients 
 
Tissues that die and are renewed rapidly such as the lining of the gut, which renews itself about every four days, and the skin every twenty-one to twenty-eight days or so, need a rich and ready supply of building 
materials to produce and maintain healthy efficient cells. A poor diet and one which is deficient in certain 
key elements cannot produce a fit and healthy body (or mind come to that). It is becoming increasingly 
apparent that today's tendency to eat junk food, especially in children, is causing deficiency states that 
will produce a generation of unhealthy adults. An increasing number of doctors now emphasise that good nutrition is the basis of good health and that many diseases can be treated quickly and effectively by 
changes in diet rather than with drugs which generally only ameliorate the situation rather than effecting a 
cure. Brillat Savarin (1755-1826), a Frenchman and gourmet, is always misquoted as saying, "You are what 
you eat". I tend to agree, but what he really said was, "Tell me what you eat, and I'll tell you who you 
are". This is more a social observation, but the truism lies in the misquotation. So it has been said that if the doctors of today don't become the nutritionists of tomorrow, then the nutritionists of today will 
become the doctors of tomorrow. (b) kill bacteria, viruses, fungi and yeasts 
 
In vitro experiments in the laboratory have been carried out on numerous organisms and have regularly 
shown that, in normal strength, Aloe Vera gel can kill or prevent replication of several bacterial 
organisms, such as: 
 
Streptococcus pyogenes Escherichia coli 
Staphylococcus aureus Propionibacterium acnes 
Pseudamonas aeruginosa Mycobacterium tuberculosis 
 
The antimicrobial action of Aloe Vera was really first investigated in the USA between 1968-1972. Two 
doctors, Zimmerman and Sims, studied the effect of stabilised gel on:  
Staphylococcus aureus Streptococcus viridans 
Candida albicans (yeast) Corynebacterium xerosis 
 
They found it inhibited growth of the bacteria at 70 per cent concentration and the yeast candida at a 50 
per cent concentration. Later, in 1970, they tested it against the fungi which cause athlete's foot (tinea pedis). Trychophyton mentagrophytes is one such fungus and another very stubborn fungus that can infect nails 
is Trychophyton rubrum. In concentrations of 85 per cent or more these fungi were killed. Further testing 
showed it to be virucidal against Herpes simplex and zoster (shingles). In 1971, it was shown to kill Trichomonas vaginalis, a common cause of sexually transmitted vaginal 
infection producing soreness and discharge. In her summary, Dr Sims reported, "Aloe Vera is bactericidal to at least six species of bacteria, especially 
to the more common staph and strep infections... It is timely in its use on burn patients. In an 80 per cent 
concentration, it is broadly virucidal. It is virucidal to four members of the Herpes strain, including 
Herpes simplex and Herpes zoster. In an 80 per cent concentration it is fungicidal against yeast infections, 
Trichomonas and candida." Aloe Vera gel has therefore the ability to kill organisms that particularly invade damaged skin and 
wounds, for if infection is present in the skin it will certainly delay healing, if not prevent it. (c) reduce inflammation 
 
Inflammation is the response of healthy tissues to injury. It is a complicated but organised process, 
involving changes in the local blood supply. The walls of the blood vessels change so that molecules and 
cells of the immune system may pass through them and then bring about clotting, mount an attack on 
pathogens and start repair. If, however, the inflammatory response is too great, as for example in a hypersensitive reaction in allergic 
asthma, it will have an adverse effect and cause further tissue damage. If the inflammation is also inappropriate as when the body's own tissues are attacked, say in rheumatoid arthritis, it will aggravate 
the problem. This severe condition is generally treated with synthetic drugs to reduce inflammation and 
thereby pain and stiffness - the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, as used by Alison. A common 
N.S.A.I.D is the over the counter drug Ibuprofen. They are highly effective in reducing symptoms but, 
unfortunately, they often produce unacceptable side effects such as indigestion at one end of the scale, to bleeding stomach ulcers at the other. A report that appeared in the British medical press in November 1995, suggested that some 5 per cent of 
duodenal, and a massive 22 per cent of gastric ulcers were associated with non-steroidal anti-
inflammatory drugs, yet they are prescribed in their millions. So it should be a godsend to find a natural anti-inflammatory agent that works without the possibility of these horrific side-effects. The combination of provision of nutrients, reduction in infection and inflammation, where appropriate, 
leads to promotion of new cell growth and more rapid healing. In a simple laboratory experiment in 1988, 
Danhof and McAnally added Aloe Vera gel to human fibroblast cell cultures. They saw an eight-fold increase in their replication, over control cultures to which no Aloe Vera had been added. Fibroblasts are one of the most important types of cells involved in the healing process. They produce the 
collagen fibres of the scar tissue that knit wounds together so the more that are working at the site of 
injury the better. This may be the single most important factor influenced by Aloe Vera in the acceleration 
of the healing process. WHAT KIND OF ALOE? The most fitting description is, I believe, was supplied by that American physician, Dr Ivan Danhof, who 
said, "The best Aloe is a preparation which maximises the desired constitutents, minimises any ingredient I have actually studied this paper in detail and it is apparent that their methods were flawed and I 
believe their results to be unreliable. Most other workers in this field looking at Aloe's effect on cell 
replication consistently find only a three to four fold increase, but this is remarkable enough. Raw Aloe Vera gel/juice - Naturally occurring unprocessed, undiluted parenchymatous tissue obtaine d 
from the decorticated (peeled) leaves of Aloe Barbadensis Miller (Aloe Vera Linne), and to which no other material has been added. Aloe Vera gel/juice - Naturally occurring, processed undiluted, parenchymatous tissue obtained fro
m 
the decorticated leaves of Aloe Barbadensis Miller, and to which no more than 5 per cent additives, 
including preservatives, shall be added as part of the processing. Whole leaf Aloe Vera gel/juice - The whole leaf of the Aloe Barbadensis Miller including the rind an d 
parenchymatous tissue that is processed, filtered and undiluted, to which no more than 5 percent 
additives, including preservatives shall be added as part of the processing. Stabilized Aloe Vera gel/juice - Synonymous with the term Aloe Vera gel/juice. 100 per cent Aloe Vera (this definition for testing purposes only) - Processed, preserved liquid derive
d 
from the leaves of Aloe Barbadensis Miller (Aloe Vera Linne), and defined by a value using the 
reporting procedure adopted by the IASC. Aloe Vera gel/juice spray dried - Aloe Vera gel/juice that has been spray dried with or without a matrix. Reconstituted Aloe Vera gel/juice spray dried - Aloe Vera gel/juice spray dried to which an 
appropriate amount of water is added to achieve a concentration that is equivalent to 100 per cent Aloe 
Vera as defined. with negative effects, maintains the constituents in an unaltered and active form, preserves the actions and 
benefits, and is present in the final product in amounts which, indeed, can bring about the desired result 
when the product is used as recommended." For the present I believe that the best form of Aloe is 100 per cent stabilised Aloe Vera gel as a health 
drink and that this stablised gel should be the major ingredient of any topical product such as shampoos, creams and ointments, lotions and sprays.
The_Essential_Aloe_Vera_by_Peter_Atherton.txt
Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        Soil and Health Library
This document is a reproduction of the book or other copyrighted material you
requested. It was prepared on for the exclusive use of Oriana, whose email address
is orianaoriana@gmail. com. This reproduction was made by the Soil and Health Library only for the purpose of
research and study. Any further reproduction or distribution of this copy in any form
whatsoever constitutes a violation of copyrights. ‘You ask me what were the secret forces which sustained me during my long 
fasts. Well, it was my unshakable faith in God, my simple and frugal life style, 
and the Aloe whose benefits I discovered upon my arrival in South Africa at 
the end of the 19th century. ’ 
 
Mahatma Ghandi 
 
 
In a letter to his biographer Romain Rolland 
 
 
 
The Essential Aloe Vera  
 
 
Author 
Dr Peter Atherton 
 
 
To Alison 
A patient who changed my practice 
 
 
 Dr Peter Atherton 
1st Edition 1996 
2nd Edition 1997 
 
Published by Mill Enterprises, Park Farm, Gayhurst, Newport, Pagnell MK16 8LG. UK. Global Library agents and distributors – Aloe World Limited 
e-mail: aloeworldlimited@aol. com  
http://aloeworldltd. com  
 
ISBN: 0-9540896-0-X 
  
 Contents 
 
 Authors note 1  Introduction 2    Part 1   The History 6  The Plant and its structure 9  Where does Aloe Vera Work. 20  How does Aloe Vera Work. 34  Aloe in the Future 43  Further Reading 48  Glossary 49   Part 2   Research Bibliography 53   
 AUTHORS NOTE 
 
This handbook is designed for educational purposes only and does not endorse any particular brand or 
type of Aloe Vera products. Dr Atherton regrets that he is unable to directly enter into any correspondence regarding his opinion on 
the use of Aloe Vera in particular case histories. Acknowledgements 
 
I would like to thank my wife, Ellen, for suffering with me during our holiday in which I transferred my 
thoughts to paper and for being my sounding board. My thanks also to good friend, Glenda Goodwin, for typing out the original manuscript. I commend her 
for her patience in making the many changes and corrections. My eternal banks to Alison whose personal experience with Aloe Vera led to a change in my practice of 
medicine after twenty-five years of a purely conventional approach. I have also received huge help from Tamsin wright-carpenter in the compilation of the references and 
from Pam Richardson in collating the Anthraquinone Section. Also. Also, thanks to Nick Hutchins for his 
invaluable advice. Finally I would like to thank Forever Living Products (UK) Ltd. , for the use of their photographs of Aloe Vera plants. INTRODUCTION 
 
“Aloe, what. Yes, I think that I’ve heard of it. That stuff they put in cosmetics. ” 
 
This was part of a conversation that took place just over three years ago with a patient at mine. She was 
the mother of a little boy with eczema, whose problem had apparently miraculously cleared up completely 
after applying a cream containing Aloe Vera with bee propolis. In case you don't know as I didn’t at the time. Bee propolis is obtained from the lining of bee hives and is the substance responsible for keeping 
the hive sterile. It is known to possess powerful antimicrobial properties which make the inside of a 
beehive more sterile than an operating theatre. Bees make propolis by collecting resins from trees such as 
pines and poplars which they then mix with their own enzymes to create the sticky substance called 
propolis or bee glue. Since then I have been fortunate to meet with Dr William Davey who, amongst other things holds a royal 
Charter as Honorary Homeopathic Physician to Her Majesty The Queen. He started life as a chest 
physician but he has also been involved in research. A main part of that research has been into bee 
propolis and his findings are shortly to be published as a thesis. In it he will demonstrate the active 
ingredient in propolis which is a most powerful antimicrobial agent, capable of even killing 
mycobacterium Tuberculosis. He has also shown that the propolis itself is more active as a whole than the pure extract. The idea of synergy in plant ingredients is a theme then I will be dwelling on later in the 
book, as I believe in the truth of an Ayurvedic text from India: 
 
“Extracting drugs from a part of a plant is taking out the intelligence and throwing away the 
wisdom” 
 
The conversation with that mother was not only to change attitude to Aloe Vera, but also to herbal, 
nutritional, and complementary medicine in general. In fact it would totally change my approach to the 
practice of medicine, and change my life. At the time, I confess I was irritated by the mothers remarks and certainly very sceptical as she went on to 
tell me that I must try the cream because it had succeeded where all my moisturisers and steroid creams 
had failed. Eczema, of course, is known to naturally wax and wane, so it had to he coincidental, didn’t it. Up to then I had been a General Practitioner for twenty-five years and a strictly conventional one at that. I left it to my partners to indulge in acupuncture, homeopathy, applied kinesiology and nutritional medicine 
 
 As this patient was also a friend, it was not long before we met again and inevitably the subject of Aloe 
Vera came up. But now I was invited to drink the stuff as well as to rub it on. The more uses she 
mentioned, the more I switched off and the more sceptical I became. However, I knew she wouldn’t go away so I promised that I would read the company literature that she had given me on the previous 
occasion. The company was biased, as I expected it to be, but there was something about this herb's history that 
caught my interest. There were references to Alexander the Great, Cleopatra and Nefertiti, no doubt a 
mythical association, but it prompted me to go as far as asking the secretary of my local post-graduate 
medical centre to dig out anything she could find on Aloe Vera. She came up with forty papers from around the world. Although some were from fairly dubious sources, 
with only one exception they all had something very positive to say about Aloe Vera. Such a high  
 PART I 
 
THE HISTORY 
 
As I said in the introduction, it was the history of Aloe Vera that first aroused my fascination with the 
plant, for it has truly stood the test of time and has been associated with some remarkable people. The name Aloe Vera, or true Aloe, is probably derived from the Arabic word ‘ALLOEH’, Syrian 
‘ALWAI’ or Hebrew ‘HALAL’ meaning a ‘shining bitter substance’. Hence the old laxative remedy ‘bitter Aloes’, still listed in the US Pharmacopoeia today. The German Egyptologist, George Ebers (1837-1898) bought an ancient papyrus, now called the Ebers 
Papyrus, dating from the reign of the Pharaoh Amen-Hotep in 1552 BC. This ancient medical treatise 
listing the use of plant materials as cosmetics and drugs, including Aloes, was found between the knees of a mummy excavated near Thebes in 1858. This papyrus demonstrated the use of Aloe Vera during the 
preceding 2,000 years and listed twelve different formulae for Aloe Vera preparations. Over the centuries, there have been many references to Aloe Vera, in many different cultures, from the 
Ancient Greeks and Romans to Babylonian, Indian and Chinese peoples. Important thinkers such as Celsius from the time of Jesus Christ, through to the Roman physician, Pliny the Elder and the Greek 
Dioscorides all supported the therapeutic importance of Aloe Vera. Galen, the father of modern medicine, 
who was the first doctor to describe how the heart and circulation worked, is known to have used it. The first reference to Aloe Vera in English was made in AD 1655 in a translation from Dioscorides by 
John Goodyear. Dioscorides wrote that this bitter tasting strongly scented liquid had “the power of 
binding or procuring sleep, of drying, of thickening bodies, and loosening of ye belly and of cleansing of ye stomach”. In addition “it stops ye spitting of blood and it cleanseth ye icterus (liver)” and finally, “it 
properly healeth exulterated genitalls”. Dioscorides wrote De Materia Medica from which this was 
translated in AD7O-90. In this treatise he catalogued and described more than 600 plants and plant 
principles. Dioscorides certainly got it right when it came to treating genital lesions as a most recent paper by Dr T A 
Syed et al, published last year, showed that a topical 0. 5% Aloe Vera extract in a randomised double blind 
trial, significantly healed the lesions of genital herpes faster than a control, and prevented recurrence. Traders first brought Aloe to London in 1693 and, by 1843, 4,227 gourds were being imported each year. Although physicians had prescribed Aloe for more than 2,000 years, it was not until 1851 that T & H. Smith of Edinburgh discovered Aloin, which they believed in small doses acted as a tonic assisting 
digestion and exerting a special influence on the liver. In larger doses it became a strong laxative. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries Aloe remained one of the more popular prescribed and over the counter medicines. The presence or absence of Aloin in modern Aloe Vera products is a controversial issue. Some companies 
filter it out, whereas others leave a little in, so I will look at this closely in the section on Anthraquinones, 
in which chemical group it falls. THE PLANT AND ITS STRUCTURE 
 
In order to understand Aloe Vera's ability to act as a medicinal herb one must have some knowledge of its 
general structure and the contents of the leaves. So, first let us look at it from a botanical point of view 
and see where it fits into the plant kingdom. Description 
 
Aloe Vera is a succulent belonging to the lily family (Liliacae). In this family there are about 3,700 
species of flowering plants, but also included are garlic, onion and asparagus of which the former is also 
accredited medicinal properties. Aloe Vera itself, forms part of a subspecies (the Aloinae) of which there 
are at least 200 to 300 types. No one seems to know exactly how many there are. Most species are non-toxic but there are about 15 poisonous ones containing a deadly hemlock-like 
substance - the method chosen by Socrates to commit suicide. Of the true Aloes there are probably only four or five with documented medicinal benefits. These are: 
 
1. Aloe Barbadensis Miller sometimes called: Aloe Linne or Aloe Vulgaris or the Curacao Aloe. 2. Aloe Perryi Baker, the Socotrine Aloe or Zanzibar Aloe. 3. Aloe Ferox often called Cape Aloe 
 4. The last two and least popular are Aloe Arborescens and Aloe Saponaria which are mainly used 
in Japan. Of all of these, Aloe Barbadensis Miller is the most potent and is the one generally used in commercial 
preparations in the UK and USA. It is really the only species that should be called Aloe Vera and this name should really be reserved 
exclusively for the barbadensis Miller variety. This is because it was first referred to by this name in a 
South African publication “Flora Indira” by N L Burman in 1768. This description preceded the 
publication of Miller's dictionary by at least ten days. This gives it priority. The species is indigenous to Africa, but these plants have become widely distributed both in the Near and 
Far East as well as the West Indies (Aloe Vera arrived on the Caribbean island of Barbados in about 
1650), and the drier parts of Europe such as Spain. Aloe Vera thrives in warm, rather arid areas. Its one great enemy is frost, so it grows well as a pot plant in 
the home, but not outside. If you have one growing on your window-sill, when you next get a bite, a sting 
or a burn, just cut off a leaf and squeeze the gel out on to the painful area and rub it in. Feel the 'First Aid 
Plant' at work. The Structure 
 
The plant takes four to five years to reach maturity when its leaves, which grow from a short stem, are 
about 60 cm (2 feet) in length and about 8-10 cm (3-4 inches) wide at the base. The leaves taper to a point 
and possess soft marginal spines. If the stem is cut transversely the leaves can be seen to be growing in a 
rosette pattern. From the middle of the mass of dark-green leaves, the flower stem develops reaching about 90 cm (3 feet) 
in length and has long, rather tubular yellow flowers. At the base of the mother plant little'suckers', or 'pups', grow which are easily separated to make new cuttings. The plant can also reproduce by cross 
fertilisation. In the wild the method of pollination is often by humming birds. Aloe Vera, being a perennial, has the life span of about twelve years, but the leaves are usually harvested 
at about three to four years of age. When the outer leaves are harvested, possibly up to three times a year, 
the plant is able to'seal' itself against water loss. This protective habit is peculiar to succulents. Within a 
few seconds of the wound being inflicted it films over and during the next few minutes a rubber-like protective coating stops further loss of sap, so the stem does not become dessicated and continues to live. In a short time the wound heals completely. No wonder it's called the Wand of Heaven. Inside the Leaf 
 
The structure Of the Aloe leaf (seen below in cross-section) shows the outer-rind about fifteen cell layers 
thick. This is dark-green in colour and has a hard, waxy surface. The hardness is due to the large amounts 
of calcium and magnesium present in it. The greenness comes from chlorophyll which uses sunlight, 
carbon dioxide and water to manufacture the Aloe Vera gel. Below the rind are vascular bundles, or tubes, 
of xylem and phloem. The xylem transports water and minerals from the roots upwards into the leaves, providing ingredients for the manufacturing process. The phloem transports the synthesised materials down to the roots and other parts of the leaf. Small 
pericyclic tubules connect these, and larger tubules running lengthwise down the leaf take nourishment to 
the young 'pups'. Next comes a mucilage layer of long, chain polysaccharides, (the relevance of which 
will be discussed later), forming a container to hold the inner parenchyma or gel. It also maintains the sterility of the inner gel. When a leaf is cut and held up, sap will quickly drain out of the larger tubules and, if this were used on its 
own, it would provide a stunning laxative, because it is composed largely of anthraquinones which we 
will look at in the next section. The leaf and Its contents 
 
In analysing the contents of the leaf, I shall be looking at the three essential ingredients: 
 
- the sap 
- the mucilage - the parenchymatous gel. There are over seventy-five known ingredients in the Aloe Vera leaf, divided into eight distinct 
categories, and I suspect that there are still others to be discovered. However, there is some confusion 
over the exact content of some of the fractions, so I will present a consensus opinion, gleaned from a 
recent literature review. The solid fraction only forms some 0. 5 - 1. 5% of the plant so this is a relatively 
small amount. Its average pH value is 4. 55. In the next chapter we will look at how and where these ingredients work. Lignin 
 
A cellulose based substance found in the gel with no known specific medicinal properties, but it is thought to provide the property of penetration of the human skin in Aloe preparations that contain it. Saponins 
 
Glycosides are thought to comprise about 3 per cent of Aloe Vera gel. They are soapy substances capable of cleansing, and with antiseptic properties. Anthraquinones and Derivatives 
 
There are twelve of these in the complex listed below: 
 
Aloin Barbaloin 
Isobarbaloin Anthranol 
Anthracene Loetic acid 
Emodin Aloe Emodin 
Ester of Cinnamonic acid Ethereal oil 
Chrysophanic acid Resistannol 
 
 
These compounds are found in the sap alone. Traditionally they are known as laxatives, and in high 
concentration on their own, they can be toxic, but within the complex environment of the Aloe Vera plant 
they are not. They are excellent analgesics, or pain killers, and they also possess powerful antibacterial, antifungal and virucidal activity. In order to obtain the painkilling benefit as well as the ability to enhance absorption from the gut, some 
sap containing anthraquinones should be present in any Aloe drink. When present it is obvious, as 
anthraquinones impart a bitter taste and add to the yellow or orange colour of the gel/sap mixture. Aloin 
in high concentration is toxic to fibroblasts so too much Aloin in topical products would kill these cells in 
the dermis and retard healing by lessening fibre production. However, they do have some beneficial skin 
effects which will be described later. Chemistry of Anthraquinones 
 
The main anthraquinone found in the sap, latex or resin in Aloe Vera is Barbaloin which is synonymous 
with Aloin. There are also the derivatives which are anthrones and chromones. These form the phenolic fraction of the sap. Barbaloin is an anthrone - c - glycoside 
 
 
 
After ingestion Aloin is converted by bacterial action in the large bowel to Aloe-emodin-9-anthrone. This is the active ingredient which causes an increase in water content of the large intestine by inhibiting 
electrolyte absorption and stimulating electrolyte secretion. It may also stimulate peristalsis. Minerals 
 
Calcium Magnesium 
Sodium Zinc 
Iron Manganese 
Potassium Copper 
Chromium  
 
There are about thirty vitamins, minerals and trace elements which are essential for good health and 
should be consumed on a regular basis. Many of them work together and depend on others in order to 
function properly. I have listed the more important properties and functions below. Calcium 
 
Primarily has a structural role in bones and teeth but it is also essential for cellular structure and nerve 
transmission. It needs a balance of phosphorous and magnesium to work effectively and Vitamin D is 
required for its absorption. Manganese 
  
 This is a component of many enzymes and is necessary for the activation of other enzymes. These 
substances are complex proteins which act as biochemical catalysts thereby speeding up the route of 
clinical reaction in the plant. Sodium 
 
This is a very important mineral, responsible for preventing body fluids from becoming too acid or too 
alkaline. It is also involved in the electrical conductivity in muscles and nerves as well as the uptake of 
nutrients by individual cells. Copper 
 
Also a component of a number of enzymes and involved in enabling iron to operate as an oxygen carrier 
in red blood cells. Magnesium 
 
This is intimately involved in calcium metabolism during the formation of bone and is needed by nerves 
and muscle membranes to allow them to conduct electrical impulses. Potassium 
 
Like sodium, this is involved in the acid-base balance in the body and also electrical conductivity in 
muscles and nerves. Zinc 
 
Is involved in major metabolic pathways contributing to the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates 
(sugars) and fats. An inadequate intake would have an adverse effect on any tissue that dies and is 
renewed rapidly such as skin, gut lining or the immune system. Recent studies have shown that the 
desperate condition of schizophrenia may be associated with zinc deficiency. Chromium 
 
This is necessary for the proper function of insulin, which in turn controls blood sugar levels, so all 
diabetics require a good intake of chromium. Iron 
 
It is the "haem" part of haemoglobin in red blood cells which enables the transport of oxygen around the 
body as oxyhaemoglobin. Iron deficiency anaemia is very common in those with poor nutrition and in any 
case where there is depletion through chronic blood loss e. g. excessive menstruation. The Vitamins 
 
Vitamin B1 Vitamin B12 Folic Acid 
Vitamin B2 Vitamin C (Vitamin C)*  
 Vitamin B6 Beta Carotene (Vitamin A) (Vitamin E)* 
Choline Niacinamide (Niacin)  
 
*Extra vitamins are often added to the natural ones in the plant extract as they form part of the stabilisation process which ensures that the commercial product remains as near to the natural juice as 
possible, and also acts as a preservative. Vitamins A, C and E 
 
These are the important antioxidant vitamins, which are essential to fight the dangerous free radicals. They influence the immune system and Vitamin C, particularly, assists in wound healing whereas 
Vitamin A is required to maintain normal and night vision. Free radicals are constantly being formed by normal body processes, but they are also produced by any form of combustion such as smoking, exhaust fumes, radiation and even the burning of food, such as on a 
barbecue or in a frying pan. They will try to oxidise tissues and cause great damage triggering everything 
from cancers to cataracts, arterial disease and premature ageing. Look what oxygen does to metal when it 
oxidises it. It produces rust and eventually destroys it - powerful stuff. These oxidising free radicals must be neutralised by the antioxidants, (the main ones are Vitamins A, C 
and E), but also by the mineral selenium and micro-nutrients called bioflavonoids, so I doubt whether you 
can have too many antioxidants in your diet. The B Vitamins, including Choline 
 
These are associated with the production of energy and with amino acid metabolism, so associated with developing muscle mass. Vitamin B 12 
 
This is one of the few plant sources of this essential vitamin needed for making red blood cells, and deficiency will lead to anaemia. Folic Acid 
 
Is very important in the development of blood cells as deficiency will cause anaemia. Amino Acids 
 
The human body requires twenty-two amino acids for good health and all but eight can be made in the 
body. The others, called essential amino acids, have to be taken in as food and together they form the building blocks of proteins from which we manufacture and repair muscle, etc. I will not list all the amino acids but suffice to say that Aloe Vera provides twenty of the twenty-two 
required and seven of the eight essential ones. The missing amino acid is tryptophan, although Bill 
Coates, an American pharmacist and Aloe expert, claims it has this one too. I am not so sure, but to get seven out of eight has to be pretty good anyway. The Acemannan Story 
 
Acemannan is a B - (1,4) - linked acetylated mannan. It possesses three pharmacological actions: 
 
a) primary anti-viral activity b) secondary immunomodulating activity 
c) tertiary activity in reducing opportunistic infections 
 
It also acts synergistically with other drugs such as Azidothymide (AZT) and Acyclovir. These 
effects have been used in the treatment of an onchogenic retrovirus, the feline leukaemia virus, which causes a multi-syndrome disease in infected cats and has been recognised as an animal model 
for human immunodeficiency virus infection. Enzymes 
 
Many enzymes have been identified in Aloe Vera. Some of the most important include: 
 
Peroxidase Cellulase 
Aliiase Carboxypeptidase 
Catalase Amylase 
Lipase Alkaline Phosphatase 
 
These enzymes help to break down food and therefore aid digestion. Some break down starch and sugars, 
for example, amylase, while others catalyse reactions to break down fats, for example, lipase. The 
nutrients in our food therefore, can be more efficiently absorbed. Sugars 
 
Aloe Vera contains both monosaccharides such as glucose and fructose and polysaccharides of which 
perhaps the most important are the polysaccharides. A most significant polysaccharide has been isolated 
by Carrington Laboratories in the USA under the trade name 'Carrisyn'. This demands special attention in 
relation to the immune system and will be discussed in a later chapter. This group of polysaccharides has been called gluco-mannans or polymannose because molecules of 
mannose are linked to molecules of glucose but there are a few more of the mannose molecules. They 
vary in size tremendously from a few hundred daltons (the unit of measurement) to four million daltons 
and are very special sugars because of their mode of absorption from the gut. Most sugars are broken 
down by enzymes, absorbed piecemeal and are then reconstituted, but the long chain gluco-mannans are absorbed whole by certain cells lining the digestive tract. This action is called pinocytosis, which results 
in these sugars entering the blood stream in their original form. Different members of these compounds are thought to improve arthritis, hypertension and indigestion as 
well as lower cholesterol, improve liver function and promote the healing of bone by increasing uptake of calcium and phosphate. In a concentrated form they have been shown to help the inflammatory bowel 
conditions of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. In vitro acemannan has been shown to enhance the capacity of cytotoxic 'T' lymphocytes by almos t
50%. It has also been seen to activate macrophages (chicken) to produce nitric oxide. Nitric oxide
acts as cytotoxic and cytostatic effector in killing tumour cells and intracellular parasites. Drugssuch as Interferon can also induce nitric oxide production by macrophages. Nitric oxide may be a
n
important factor in mediating immune regulation and host defences in mammalian and avia n
species. The stimulation of macrophages has been found in rats to accelerate wound healing. At the time of writing Carrington laboratories acemannan product “Carrisyn” has reached the final
stage of trials and tests before receiving a licence from the FDA for human use in the treatment o f
AIDS. Sterols 
 
These plant steroids are important anti-inflammatory agents, the four main ones being: 
 
Cholesterol Campesterol 
B Sitosterol Lupeol 
 
Lupeol also acts as an antiseptic and analgesic agent. Finally, Aloe Vera does contain some salicylic acid, 
an aspirin-like compound which together with lupeol provide some of its pain-killing properties. Other small molecules found in the solid fraction are plant hormones known as gibberellins and auxins. WHERE DOES ALOE VERA WORK. After reading many books, articles and papers on Aloe Vera in my quest for knowledge about 
this xerophyte (a plant capable of living in arid regions), I soon formed the opinion that it 
only seemed to work in two distinct areas. First it became obvious that it had an effect on surfaces and membranes rather than solid 
organs and, secondly, on conditions that resulted from a disordered immune system. I would 
like to emphasise this point to deter some people from making extravagant claims about its 
effects in other unrelated areas and thereby giving it an ill-deserved reputation as a cure-all. No wonder people with skin conditions and bowel conditions, asthma, as well as genital 
problems claim benefit from Aloe Vera for they are anatomically related, in that they are all 
problems affecting epithelial tissues. An epithelium is an anatomical term which is defined as 
a layer of cells lining the surface of the body, or a cavity that communicates with it. The skin 
is the largest epithelial surface and is in fact the largest organ of the body. It changes when it 
grows hair in the scalp but is very much still an epithelium as it is when it grows nails. When it enters the mouth the epithelium changes to become a mucous membrane as its function has 
changed and it does not need to preserve the body's water as normal skin does. It continues to change as it passes through the oesophagus (gullet), stomach, the small bowel, 
the large bowel and finally at the anus it becomes skin again. The epithelial surface lines the nose and sinuses, trachea (wind pipe) and bronchial tubes in the lungs and it also lines the 
genital tract. One of the commonest criticisms that I hear from my colleagues is that one substance can't 
possibly treat all those different conditions'. Well, of course, Aloe Vera gel is not just one substance. It is a complex interacting mixture as we've seen, containing over seventy-five 
ingredients, and all such conditions that benefit from Aloe Vera are linked by this common 
anatomical thread - the epithelium. I could write a book solely based on anecdotal evidence about Aloe Vera but I shall only cite those events that have occurred either to me personally, my family or my patients, that is, 
events that I have experienced or seen with my own eyes. Skin 
 
Depending on its site, for damaged epithelium to receive the benefits of Aloe Vera it can be 
taken orally - for example, to treat indigestion or heartburn from a hiatus hernia. But as well 
as being ingested, it can be applied topically as in the case of skin damaged through eczema. With topical applications to the skin and scalp, general dermatological principles must still be 
followed, If the skin is dry then it must be moisturised, using an emollient or greasy base and, 
to the contrary, if the skin is oily a non-greasy base must be used. Lotions are best used in hairy areas and dressings are generally needed where skin is ulcerated. On a personal note, to exemplify Aloe Vera's effect on chronically inflamed membranes, I 
discovered to my absolute joy that after taking it daily for about two weeks, my nasal catarrh, 
the legacy of smoking twenty cigarettes a day between 18-41 years of age, disappeared. This, of course, made breathing easier, my sense of taste improved and my tendency to snoring was 
removed. Aloe Vera's anti-inflammatory effects are as follows: 
 
a) by the inactivation of Bradykinin due to a Carboxypeptidase enzyme, capable o f 
hydrolising Bradykinin and Angiotensin 1 in vitro. Bradykinin acting at the site of acute 
inflammation is both a vasodilator and a potent pain producing agent. This may be the 
mechanism whereby pain is decreased by Aloe Vera, although this has not been properl y 
demonstrated in vivo. b) Aloe Vera contains Salicylic acid and also anthraquinones which can be broken down to 
form salicylates. Salicylates are both analgesic and anti-inflammatory, inhibiting the 
production of prostaglandins. The Anti-inflammatory Effect 
 
Inflammation is the response of tissues to injury and is designed to bring cells of the 
immune system to the site of damage. It is a three stage reaction: 
1) increased blood supply to the region 2) increase capillary permeability 
3) emigration of cells out of the blood vessels into the tissues 
This activity is mediated by various systems such as complement, clotting and growth 
factors, and kinins. Also active are the mediators released by Mast cells, Basophils an
d 
Platelets as well as the Eicosanoids generated by many cells at inflammatory sites, followe d 
by Macrophages and Lymphocytes, wherever there is an immunological challenge. The inflammatory process is very necessary and beneficial provided it is not too much or fo r 
too long. It is counter productive when it becomes chronic, causing unpleasant symptoms 
for the individual leading to excessive pain and swelling. Delighted as I am with this result, I am aware that the problem recurs if I leave off the Aloe, 
for about a week, suggesting that it only suppresses the symptoms in this case, and is not a permanent cure for the problem. My wife has noticed that after burning her hands on the AGA oven (her hobby is cooking), 
the swift application of Aloe Vera not only takes the pain away almost instantly, but with 
repeated applications the wounds heal much faster and without scarring. Previous burns have left her with multiple small scars on her hands and wrists but at least now she is not adding to 
them. Now you can see why it's called 'the Burn Plant'. With experience my usage of Aloe Vera in my general medical practice has slowly increased 
over the two years, especially in areas where my usual treatment has failed or not been very 
successful, or where there have been side effects, or where the patient has asked for 
'something natural'. In practice the skin conditions I have found responded best are: 
 
Acne vulgaris and rosacea 
Eczema, especially (atopic) eczema in young children Seborrhoeic dermatitis 
Psoriasis 
Chronic urticaria 
Ulcers 
Tinea pedis (athlete's foot)  
 Wound Healing and Burns 
 
Serious research into the wound healing qualities of Aloe Vera began in the 1930's afte r 
Collins and Collins reported in a 31 year old woman, a case of severe roentgen dermatitis 
with desquamation over an area 4 x 8cms of the forehead and extending above the hairline. Within 24 hours after the treatment with fresh Aloe the itching and burning had subside
d 
completely. Within 5 weeks of continued treatment, there was complete regeneration o f 
sensation and absence of a scar. After 3 months, there was no indication of a relapse an d 
upon exposure to the sun, the forehead appeared to be pigmenting normally along with the 
other exposed skin surfaces. Other experiments followed using both human and animal models where immediate an
d 
delayed histopathalogical changes of the skin in Aloe-treated and non Aloe-treated wounds 
could be observed. Many experiments were performed through the 1950's and 60's which 
consistently demonstrated further wound healing with greatly reduced scarring. By the 1980's key workers like Professor John Heggars and Dr Wendel Winters in the 
USA working in academic plastic surgery units were putting forward hypotheses on the 
mechanisms of the anti-inflammatory and antithermal burn effects. Their conclusions were that Aloe Vera was able to block the formation Thromboxane A2 
which improved tissue survival following either burn or frostbite injury. This was brought 
about by a significantly increased dermal perfusion after the burn, given that Thromboxane 
A2 is a vasoconstrictor. Immunohistochemical assessment of the burnt material showe
d 
markedly decreased levels of Thromboxane A2 in treated groups when compared with 
untreated controls. Robson et al in 1982 also showed Aloe Vera's ability to inhibit prostaglandin an
d 
thromboxane production. They noticed an absence of thromboxane B2 up to 72 hours post 
burn and a decrease in PGF2 levels up to the same time. An important observation that I personally made came about when I conducted a small 
experiment in treating a large ulcer on the shin of an elderly lady with just topical Aloe Vera; 
nothing else. This is probably just about the worst place to get an ulcer as traditionally, by 
whatever method is used, they can take a very long time to heal. I was excited to find an 
example that had just occurred as a result of trauma - she had knocked her leg against the sharp corner of some furniture. I saw it within a few hours of the accident happening and after 
cleaning the wound, persuaded my nursing staff to apply Aloe Vera twice a day under a moist 
dressing. The speed of healing was quite remarkable with no sign of infection, which is the dreaded complication. I am pleased to say that the nurses were also impressed and would like to use it 
again on some of their cases which stubbornly refuse to heal. Quite remarkably this ulcer 
healed with minimal scarring, a typical feature of Aloe treatment. If a result such as this is indeed consistent, then the Aloe Vera approach could save the 
National Health Service an awful lot of money. Other workers also report excellent results with burns and ulcers and in the USA it is 
regularly used in some major burns units. Thromboxanes and Prostaglandins are known to effect: 
 
i) platelet aggregation 
ii) leukocyte adherence 
iii) vasoconstriction  
In Japan since 1976, Professor Keisuke Fujita has been studying the Bradykininase 
activity in a natural Aloe - Aloe Vera Arborescens. He concluded that the anti-
inflammatory enzyme he described was a serine carboxypeptidase which hydrolyse
d 
Bradykinin and Angiotensin l, a vasopressor, in vitro. A later paper from 1993, reinforced the view that this enzyme is one of the key factors 
involved in the pharmacological effectiveness of Aloe. Aloe also contains Salicylic aci
d 
which is both analgesic and anti-inflammatory due to the inhibition of prostaglandin 
synthesis. Other agents which also contribute to the anti-inflammatory effect, found by the Japanese 
workers, are thought to be plant hormones, Lectin like substances such as Aloctin A foun
d 
by Saito et al in 1982. One of the most satisfying aspects of general practice is that we get to know our patients and 
share with them some of the intimate and often amusing events in life. For example, I once gave an elderly gentleman some Aloe for this arthritis and asked to see him two weeks later. When he returned he looked happy and so I suggested that the Aloe must have improved his 
condition. "No," he said. "it's about the same - but I whistle when I walk now and my wife 
says that I haven't done that for twenty years. " Another chap, a retired dustman, stopped me in the street to tell me how pleased he was that 
I'd given his wife some Aloe to help her asthma. "It's improved it then, has it. " I asked, to 
which he replied "Yeah, her asthma is great, Doc', but so's my sex life - she can't get enough 
of me. " "I'm really pleased for you," I said, trying hard not to smile as I noticed two litres of Aloe Vera gel in his shopping basket. Aloe Vera is extremely safe and non-toxic and I think that virtually all people who react to 
Aloe Vera are probably reacting to the vehicle or additives necessary to preserve it. Of course, 
someone, somewhere must be allergic to Aloe Vera but, throughout the years, it has consistently been reported as very safe. Most commonly, allergic reactions are due to such 
added substances as lanolin or parabens in the creams, sandalwood or propolis itself. I have 
seen only one reaction to a drink, that was a hyperactive effect, the most likely culprit being 
the sodium benzoate used as a preservative. The leading authority on toxicology in this country is the Poisons Unit at Guy's Hospital in 
London and, when asked about Aloe Vera, they admitted they had very little on file, only that some whole leaf products had been shown to produce abdominal pains and diarrhoea in some 
people. (I will explain the difference between the gel and whole leaf Aloe juice in a later 
chapter. ) I believe the only possible source of toxicity would be the anthraquinone fraction; in high concentration. But this level does not exist in the products sold as tonics or health drinks, and 
I believe them to be perfectly safe. Aloe Vera preparations have been sold in the USA for 
many years and, before going on sale to the general public, any American product has to pass 
the strict Food and Drugs Administration tests for safety before it can be sold as a food, in 
which group it is classed. No products are licensed yet to be sold as medicines in the UK. Allergy to Aloe Vera   
 
Only one form of pure reaction to Aloe Vera has been documented and that is discoid o r 
Nummular Eczema following ingestion of the gel. Reduced Pigment Formation 
 
Melanin is formed from the amino acid Tyrosine which is converted by the enzyme 
Tyrosinase to Dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA). This is then polymerised to form melanin. Aloe Vera through its anthraquinone fraction possesses anti-tyrosinase activity thereb y 
reducing skin pigmentation. A preparation containing Aloesin is sold in the Far East for the 
sole purpose of lightening Asian skin. I have not discussed the use of Aloe Vera in cosmetics where it is designed to nourish the skin 
and retard the effects of ageing. It is widely used and the 'with Aloe Vera' handle is becoming 
much more common. Boots the Chemist and Body Shop have used it for a while, but recently Gillette has added Aloe Vera to one of their products to make shaving more pleasant for men. The combination of high quality Aloe in skin preparations firstly helps to moisturise and 
smooth the skin. It penetrates the skin, bringing about anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing 
effects, this includes the reduction and sometimes eradication of 'liver spots' on older skin. Secondly, after penetration, it stimulates the fibroblasts in the dermis to produce more 
collagen and elastin, thereby reducing the tendency to wrinkles which occur as a result of 
reduced collagen levels. Finally, it enhances skin's immune system and therefore lessens the tendency to damage from ultraviolet rays. Finally, before leaving the subject of skin it must be said that even Aloe Vera can have some 
side effects but, far from being harmful, they are generally welcomed. Women in particular, 
after several weeks of using the gel, often remark that their nails grow faster, and are not so brittle; that their hair also grows faster and looks healthier and that because Aloe Vera has a 
vasodilatory effect (opening the blood vessels in the skin) they can develop rosy cheeks. People who are told they look well, generally feel well. The Digestive Tract 
 
The other major organ system where Aloe consistently helps is in the digestive tract, from 
simple dyspepsia or indigestion and heartburn, to reported cases of it healing peptic ulcers, 
but I have no personal experience of the latter. Many ulcers are now known to be due to 
bacterium called Helicobacter Pylori and it would be interesting to see what effect Aloe Vera 
has on this bug. (I am trying to organise some in vitro testing at the time of writing. ) If it were 
to be seen to kill this organism and bring about the healing of these ulcers, we would see an explosion in the demand for Aloe Vera and it would save the National Health Service the 
huge amount of money spent on courses of antibiotics used to eradicate the organism. As I've said, in the past, Aloe Vera was used widely as a purgative and an aid to digestion 
generally, so it is not surprising that sufferers from inflammatory bowel conditions like colitis and diverticulitis have reported great results with regular ingestion of Aloe Vera. It must be 
stressed, however, that their symptoms tend to return after stopping the drink so taking Aloe 
Vera gel has to be an on-going habit. These conditions are well known for relapsing and 
remitting, and for some people who have suffered regularly from these unpleasant complaints, 
the reduced frequency and severity of the relapses has been benefit enough. I am often asked  
 if Aloe Vera is available as a suppository but, as far as I'm aware, it is not as yet - but perhaps 
it's in the pipeline. One condition that I think deserves special mention is the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It 
is the commonest disorder of the bowel in the industrialised western world and the most 
frequent cause for referral to gastroenterologists by family doctors. It is estimated that there may be more than five million sufferers in the UK alone. Irritable bowel syndrome is a collection of symptoms that vary from person to person but the 
most common features are abdominal pains, constipation or diarrhoea with abdominal 
bloating or with the passage of mucous. There is no effect on general health and the sufferers usually maintain their weight. But it can be an extremely debilitating and embarrassing 
condition, and can at times prevent sufferers from going outside and getting on with their 
work or, indeed, their life. Often it is associated with a stress-related emotional upset or 
depression and may be combined with other 'irritable' organs such as the bladder. Conventional treatment is not terribly effective and depends on dietary change, usually with 
an increase in fibre, antidiarrhoeal or bulking agents, antispasmodic drugs, antidepressants and psycho/ hypnotherapy, etc. All these measures are tried because the condition is not fully 
understood. Some think it is due to a disorder of the bowels' regular and smooth peristaltic 
movements - a 'dysmotility', and on the same theme others claim that the gut's sensitivity is 
decreased. Another theory is that there is too much yeast such as Candida albicans in the 
bowel which may be the underlying cause, whilst there is a group of doctors who, as with post-viral fatigue syndrome (to be discussed later), think it is wholly psychological and the 
result of the stresses of modern living. Whatever the cause, it was stated in the British Medical Journal in January 1995: "No 
uniformly successful treatment exists for the Irritable Bowel Syndrome". I know that there are a lot of dissatisfied patients out there, for when the journalist, Hazel Courtney, wrote an 
article on IBS in the Daily Mail in 1994, featuring amongst others, my views on Aloe Vera, it 
generated 10,000 letters asking for more information. Aloe Vera has now become my first line approach in the treatment of confirmed IBS and I have more success with this regime than any other. Unfortunately, it is not successful in every 
case and I suspect the failures tend to occur more where the emotional response to stress is 
greatest, i. e. there is less of a physical component. But it is really reassuring and pleasing to 
hear patients say, as one did, "I can go shopping now with confidence - it's great". Previously 
she could only shop where she had an intimate knowledge of where all the toilets were to be found. I must emphasise that I am talking about Aloe Vera gel, not the old 'bitter aloes' made from 
the sap. This would produce quite different results. How much Aloe Vera did you say you gave him. Immune system 
 
People who take Aloe Vera gel regularly, including myself, report a greater sense of well-
being - they just feel better and more at ease. I believe this comes about because of a well-balanced and effective immune system which the Aloe Vera is capable of modulating. As the immune system exists to protect the body from change caused by invading organisms 
for example, bacteria, viruses or altered cells such as cancer cells, its efficient functioning is 
of extreme importance. It necessitates a very complex system, involving many different elements which I do not claim to fully understand. The study of immunology is a subject in its 
own right. So I will present it in a greatly over-simplified form, in which I shall mention only 
the key players. There is much more going on in the background which modifies the action of 
these key cells, as they do not work in isolation. The immune system is working around the clock to protect the body from attack and therefore 
any disruption to its immediate and efficient response will cause a major problem to the 
individual. Problems can arise where the immune system is under active as well as when it is 
overactive, or even when there is inappropriate action such as when the system attacks the 
host tissues. This action will cause the so-called auto-immune disorders, some common examples being: 
 
Ulcerative colitis 
Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) 
Rheumatoid arthritis 
 
If the immune system is unable to produce an adequate response, the individual can't fight infection and will eventually succumb. The classic instance of such a situation, of course, is 
AIDS or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. If the response is too great, such as the hypersensitive response in allergic asthma, this is a 
harmful response capable of ultimately causing death, so it is vital that the response should be just enough to knock out the enemy without overkill. Such immune responses are occurring in healthy individuals continuously. The immune 
system should be thought of as an essential part of our defence mechanism, continually 
keeping out and destroying invaders and abnormal cells as they appear. Who are the key players. The most important are cells called lymphocytes of which there are two types, B cells and T 
cells which are found in lymphoid tissue and in the blood. Second in importance are cells called phagocytes which are basically scavengers. Some of 
these are found in tissue, while others which are the white blood cells, are found circulating in the blood. B lymphocytes produce antibodies but the T lymphocytes have several functions: 
 
1. They help B cells to make antibodies 
2. They recognise and destroy cells infected with viruses 
3. They activate phagocytes to take up pathogens that they have identified 4. They control the level and quality of the immune response. Life is a constant fight both internally and externally, so I have represented the immune 
response as a battle in which the orders are delivered by messengers. These messengers are 
called cytokines. The cytokine systems orchestrate the T helper cells (lymphocytes) in 
searching out and destroying the enemy and it is at this level where a major component of 
Aloe Vera works. This very important component, acemannan, is found amongst the sugar fraction. It is a long 
chain polysaccharide and acts as an immune modulator. This means it has the ability to either 
enhance or to slow down the immune response and this remarkable activity has been demonstrated and is well documented in laboratory experiments. It has been isolated from Aloe Vera by the Carrington Laboratories in the USA and produced 
as a drug, trade name 'Carrisyn', which has been licensed by the Food and Drugs 
Administration (FDA) to be trialled in human AIDS patients. Ace mannan has attracted enormous interest and the future of Aloe Vera may well be in the success of this component. At the moment it has reached the penultimate stage of testing before it can be licensed for 
unrestricted use in humans. It currently holds a veterinary licence in the USA for the 
treatment of feline leukaemia virus in cats. On the veterinary side in the UK very recent work carried out by Peter Green, an equine vet, 
on post-viral syndrome in horses, has produced some dramatic results. Fortunately, in equine post-viral syndrome, unlike that in human beings, there is a measurable 
entity in the blood. Horses with this condition drop their white blood cell counts to almost 
fatal levels. Peter Green recorded these levels in horses suffering from this condition, then put 
them on a three to five week regime of adding Aloe Vera gel to their feed. Being a sceptic at first - as I was - he was incredibly surprised with his findings as eleven out of fourteen horses  
 treated made a full recovery and returned to eventing, jumping and racing. The affected 
horses all showed increased white cell counts after the course of Aloe Vera. Normally, most 
of these horses would not have expected to recover. In his paper Peter Green says: 
"Nevertheless, despite the limitations of this form of clinical study, we believe that there are 
genuine therapeutic benefits to be gained from the administration of Aloe Vera extracts". I have suggested its use in my patients with post-viral fatigue syndrome on an empirical basis 
and one or two have benefited. However, the numbers are really too small to draw any 
conclusions but, considering there is no other convincing treatment, it must be worth a try. On the basis of what has been said, it would be expected that those suffering with asthma of 
an allergic origin would benefit from Aloe Vera, either for the immunomodulating effect or the natural anti-inflammatory effect. In general, I have found this to be the case, leading to a 
reduction in the number of times they need to use their inhaler and the reduction in the 
frequency of severe disabling attacks. As with post viral syndrome I have not seen sufficient 
cases to be absolutely sure about it, but it certainly calls for some research - a topic I will 
return to at the end of the book. Finally, on this subject, I must tell you Alison's story. The young woman to whom this book is dedicated and the patient who convinced me that there really was something worthwhile in 
Aloe Vera. Alison is a delightful young woman whom I have treated for fifteen years. She suffers with 
Still's disease or juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. This condition has been progressive since she 
was a child and because of its severity and the deformity it has caused, she has been under regular specialist supervision and has received a variety of potent conventional treatments, 
both drug treatments including high-dose non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) 
and hydrotherapy. She has borne her disability bravely but about eighteen months ago she 
came to the surgery complaining that she needed more anti-inflammatories to control her pain 
and stiffness, but couldn't take any more because of the abdominal pain these caused. Catch 22. I didn't know what else to suggest so I said, "You wouldn't like to try a sort of wacky 
cactus juice that's supposed to have a natural anti-inflammatory effect as well as settling 
stomachs would you. Unfortunately, I can't prescribe it and you'll have to buy it from a local 
agent. " Alison and her mother, who was present during the consultation, said they would try anything 
to get some relief. So Alison started a course of Aloe Vera gel. It was agreed that she would not reduce her current level of drugs but just add in the Aloe 
Vera and record the amounts of NSAIDS she took, the amount of Aloe Vera and her symptoms on a daily basis. I was to see her every two weeks. After a few weeks we were both thrilled to see an improvement. Her abdominal pain 
disappeared, she was in less pain and she certainly looked better and happier - even to the 
extent of getting rosy cheeks for the first time. Over the subsequent months she started to 
reduce her NSAID level until, eighteen months down the road, she only takes about half the 
amount she used to, still with no side effects. Her quality of life has no doubt improved and witnessing this change, albeit in only one patient, but one of my most difficult therapeutically, 
was a turning point for me. Thank you, Alison. This kind of arthritis I suspect is helped by a combination of anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory factors. However, Aloe Vera does seem to help the other 'wear and tear' 
type of arthritis - osteoarthritis, so the use of aloe in these cases must be worth investigating. We have looked at acemannan but there are other aspects of polysaccharides, according to 
American nutritionist Dr E. Harendal, listed below. They are found in every single cell in the 
body and they play a crucial role by: 
 
a) lining the colon to prevent absorption of toxic waste 
b) providing a life-saving barrier against microbial invasion for each cell, especially 
viruses 
c) providing critical lubrication of joints 
d) helping to maintain the capacity of movement of fluids 
e) allowing the transfer of gases in the lungs 
f) facilitating the absorption of water, electrolytes and nutrients in the gastro Intestinal 
tract. Dr Harendal believes they are as vital to a healthy body as bricks are to a house. HOW DOES ALOE VERA WORK. We know that an Aloe Vera leaf is approximately 99 per cent water. Therefore, the total amount of 
nutrient is in the remaining 1 per cent of the plant. In this 1 per cent, seventy-five ingredients form a 
cocktail of all the substances previously mentioned and in their relatively small amounts they would not 
be expected to have much effect, certainly not the results that have been witnessed. Why. The answer I believe lies in their synergistic action. Synergism is defined as, "the working together of two 
or more drugs, muscles, etc. , to produce an effect greater than the sum of their individual effects", and it 
is that balance that has taken thousands of years to evolve in this amazing plant and which produce its 
dramatic results. Synergism in Phytotherapy 
 
The scientific development of conventional or allopathic medicine required that the prescription drugs
would be uniform chemical substances that would produce a consistent physiological effect. Hence the
practice of isolating in chemically pure form the biologically active substances or "active ingredients"
from botanical formulations. The tenet of the active ingredient is deeply ingrained in allopathic
medicine. Herbal preparations taken from whole stems, roots, leaves and fruits containing huge numbers o
f
phytochemicals stretch the boundaries of the conventional medical paradigm. The method of action is also often different whereas a cancer drug may kill cancer cells directly 
a
herbal preparation may cause either the malignant cells to differentiate into normal, healthy cells o r
perhaps stimulate the body's immune system to better fight and destroy the abnormal cells. Together with these views, Professor Henri Sharman, a physician from Ohio State University, believes
that antioxidants work synergistically to neutralise free radicals, especially Vitamin C, Vitamin E,Carotene and various bioflavonoids. Ayurvedic herbal preparations are formulated just to maximise
such synergistic action. Complex herbal mixtures are more potent because they contain both water soluble and fat soluble
antioxidants, therefore they are capable of scavenging free radicals both inside and outside the cell. I
t
is also important to remember that natural-sourced and synthetic vitamins do not have the same
composition nor the same biological activity. In respect of Vitamin E for example, studies have show n
a preferential functional uptake and retention of the natural Vitamin E as compared to the syntheticform. Professor Sharman believes that herbal preparations have a synergistic multifaceted healing capacity,
which warrants further systematic exploration for the benefit of humanity, leaving all preconceive
d
notions behind. This plant has the ability to: 
 
(a) provide essential nutrients 
 
Tissues that die and are renewed rapidly such as the lining of the gut, which renews itself about every four days, and the skin every twenty-one to twenty-eight days or so, need a rich and ready supply of building 
materials to produce and maintain healthy efficient cells. A poor diet and one which is deficient in certain 
key elements cannot produce a fit and healthy body (or mind come to that). It is becoming increasingly 
apparent that today's tendency to eat junk food, especially in children, is causing deficiency states that 
will produce a generation of unhealthy adults. An increasing number of doctors now emphasise that good nutrition is the basis of good health and that many diseases can be treated quickly and effectively by 
changes in diet rather than with drugs which generally only ameliorate the situation rather than effecting a 
cure. Brillat Savarin (1755-1826), a Frenchman and gourmet, is always misquoted as saying, "You are what 
you eat". I tend to agree, but what he really said was, "Tell me what you eat, and I'll tell you who you 
are". This is more a social observation, but the truism lies in the misquotation. So it has been said that if the doctors of today don't become the nutritionists of tomorrow, then the nutritionists of today will 
become the doctors of tomorrow. (b) kill bacteria, viruses, fungi and yeasts 
 
In vitro experiments in the laboratory have been carried out on numerous organisms and have regularly 
shown that, in normal strength, Aloe Vera gel can kill or prevent replication of several bacterial 
organisms, such as: 
 
Streptococcus pyogenes Escherichia coli 
Staphylococcus aureus Propionibacterium acnes 
Pseudamonas aeruginosa Mycobacterium tuberculosis 
 
The antimicrobial action of Aloe Vera was really first investigated in the USA between 1968-1972. Two 
doctors, Zimmerman and Sims, studied the effect of stabilised gel on:  
Staphylococcus aureus Streptococcus viridans 
Candida albicans (yeast) Corynebacterium xerosis 
 
They found it inhibited growth of the bacteria at 70 per cent concentration and the yeast candida at a 50 
per cent concentration. Later, in 1970, they tested it against the fungi which cause athlete's foot (tinea pedis). Trychophyton mentagrophytes is one such fungus and another very stubborn fungus that can infect nails 
is Trychophyton rubrum. In concentrations of 85 per cent or more these fungi were killed. Further testing 
showed it to be virucidal against Herpes simplex and zoster (shingles). In 1971, it was shown to kill Trichomonas vaginalis, a common cause of sexually transmitted vaginal 
infection producing soreness and discharge. In her summary, Dr Sims reported, "Aloe Vera is bactericidal to at least six species of bacteria, especially 
to the more common staph and strep infections. It is timely in its use on burn patients. In an 80 per cent 
concentration, it is broadly virucidal. It is virucidal to four members of the Herpes strain, including 
Herpes simplex and Herpes zoster. In an 80 per cent concentration it is fungicidal against yeast infections, 
Trichomonas and candida. " Aloe Vera gel has therefore the ability to kill organisms that particularly invade damaged skin and 
wounds, for if infection is present in the skin it will certainly delay healing, if not prevent it. (c) reduce inflammation 
 
Inflammation is the response of healthy tissues to injury. It is a complicated but organised process, 
involving changes in the local blood supply. The walls of the blood vessels change so that molecules and 
cells of the immune system may pass through them and then bring about clotting, mount an attack on 
pathogens and start repair. If, however, the inflammatory response is too great, as for example in a hypersensitive reaction in allergic 
asthma, it will have an adverse effect and cause further tissue damage. If the inflammation is also inappropriate as when the body's own tissues are attacked, say in rheumatoid arthritis, it will aggravate 
the problem. This severe condition is generally treated with synthetic drugs to reduce inflammation and 
thereby pain and stiffness - the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, as used by Alison. A common 
N. S. A. I. D is the over the counter drug Ibuprofen. They are highly effective in reducing symptoms but, 
unfortunately, they often produce unacceptable side effects such as indigestion at one end of the scale, to bleeding stomach ulcers at the other. A report that appeared in the British medical press in November 1995, suggested that some 5 per cent of 
duodenal, and a massive 22 per cent of gastric ulcers were associated with non-steroidal anti-
inflammatory drugs, yet they are prescribed in their millions. So it should be a godsend to find a natural anti-inflammatory agent that works without the possibility of these horrific side-effects. The combination of provision of nutrients, reduction in infection and inflammation, where appropriate, 
leads to promotion of new cell growth and more rapid healing. In a simple laboratory experiment in 1988, 
Danhof and McAnally added Aloe Vera gel to human fibroblast cell cultures. They saw an eight-fold increase in their replication, over control cultures to which no Aloe Vera had been added. Fibroblasts are one of the most important types of cells involved in the healing process. They produce the 
collagen fibres of the scar tissue that knit wounds together so the more that are working at the site of 
injury the better. This may be the single most important factor influenced by Aloe Vera in the acceleration 
of the healing process. WHAT KIND OF ALOE. The most fitting description is, I believe, was supplied by that American physician, Dr Ivan Danhof, who 
said, "The best Aloe is a preparation which maximises the desired constitutents, minimises any ingredient I have actually studied this paper in detail and it is apparent that their methods were flawed and I 
believe their results to be unreliable. Most other workers in this field looking at Aloe's effect on cell 
replication consistently find only a three to four fold increase, but this is remarkable enough. Raw Aloe Vera gel/juice - Naturally occurring unprocessed, undiluted parenchymatous tissue obtaine d 
from the decorticated (peeled) leaves of Aloe Barbadensis Miller (Aloe Vera Linne), and to which no other material has been added. Aloe Vera gel/juice - Naturally occurring, processed undiluted, parenchymatous tissue obtained fro
m 
the decorticated leaves of Aloe Barbadensis Miller, and to which no more than 5 per cent additives, 
including preservatives, shall be added as part of the processing. Whole leaf Aloe Vera gel/juice - The whole leaf of the Aloe Barbadensis Miller including the rind an d 
parenchymatous tissue that is processed, filtered and undiluted, to which no more than 5 percent 
additives, including preservatives shall be added as part of the processing. Stabilized Aloe Vera gel/juice - Synonymous with the term Aloe Vera gel/juice. 100 per cent Aloe Vera (this definition for testing purposes only) - Processed, preserved liquid derive
d 
from the leaves of Aloe Barbadensis Miller (Aloe Vera Linne), and defined by a value using the 
reporting procedure adopted by the IASC. Aloe Vera gel/juice spray dried - Aloe Vera gel/juice that has been spray dried with or without a matrix. Reconstituted Aloe Vera gel/juice spray dried - Aloe Vera gel/juice spray dried to which an 
appropriate amount of water is added to achieve a concentration that is equivalent to 100 per cent Aloe 
Vera as defined. with negative effects, maintains the constituents in an unaltered and active form, preserves the actions and 
benefits, and is present in the final product in amounts which, indeed, can bring about the desired result 
when the product is used as recommended. " For the present I believe that the best form of Aloe is 100 per cent stabilised Aloe Vera gel as a health 
drink and that this stablised gel should be the major ingredient of any topical product such as shampoos, creams and ointments, lotions and sprays. Section summary: 

Please summarize briefly the entire textual data presented here. ```

Here is a concise summarization:
**Book Title:** `The Essential Aloo vera` written by **Authors Name**: Not specified

Summary:
• Mahathama Gandhi talks about maintaining spiritual beliefs during fasting periods;
• Book begins discussing historical context surrounding soil science library notes mentioning mentions Arab words ALWOH’s explanation;

Source URL link http //www. aloworldimited/com/book/the-Esstntnl-Aloha-vera/
```



Accurate Summary:


SoilandHealthLibrary reproduces a copyright infringement-free edition exclusively created for Orina (@orianoorinia @gmail. com). Introduction highlights Gandhis affirmation concerning having religious conviction sustaining fast practices. Partially referenced authorship


PeterAthorton@MillEnterprisesPublisherd. Contains ISBNnumber : OJOO896-OX. Table Content TableOfContents Page Number Author ’ s Note page xi-xvi Preface 11 Foreword ix ii iii iv CONTENT PAGE NUMBER TABLEOFCONTENTS REFERENCES INDEX FOREWORD AUTHOR'SNOTE TOAlison ABOUTTHISBOOK ACKNOWLEDGENMENTS CONCLUSION CHAPTER ONEINTRODUCTIOIN THIS BOOK YOU WILL LEARN… OTHER TYPES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FOR USE IN JAPAN IT IS KNOWN THAT SOME PEOPLE WHO REACTIVELY RESPOND WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED BY ALLERGIANS LIKE POLLEN OR COCKLEURSPOLLYPODIUM PERFORATIONAND THEN PREVENTION AS WELLAS PROMOTIONOFHEALTHYCELLSWITHOUTOVERKILLING THEIR OWN CELLSTOCREATENEW CELLSATTHESITEOF DAMAGEORRENEWED CELLLINEARIZATIONPROCESSUSUAL LYWITHANYOTHERCOMPONENTISNOTLIKELYTOBEFOUNDINSUCHPRODUCTSAFTERSUBSEQUENTCHANGESFROMTHENEXTCHAPTER. WHYDOESTHELASTONELOOKSOFAIR. Becauseoftentimesallovertherapeuticagentsmayproducelarge-sideeffectstothenormalthree stagesoftheself-healingprocess,whereforexample,youcannotalwaysuseASAIDs medication. Thenewapproachisaninterestingstepforwardforthecreationoffreshwaterthroughphotosynthesiswithinplants,because,African Americans mightalsohavebeenassociatedwithchronictuberculosisinfectionssofhumanimmunity. Here isthemainissueinthemedicine,notevenprescribingdrugs,butmoreoftenusingnaturalproductswhenthese failtoproduceadequateimprovement. Finally,itmustbeknownthatvirtuallyallpatientsreactingtoreceivedruggedactionsm.
Dr. Peter Atherton
Who is the author of the book "The Essential Aloe Vera"?
It is the title of the book, not a person's name.
What is the name of the book "The Essential Aloe Vera"?
The book discusses the health benefits and properties of Aloe Vera.
What is the main topic of the book "The Essential Aloe Vera"?
Ellen
Who is the author's wife, who helped him with the writing of the book?
The text does not explicitly state Dr. Atherton's main focus of research on Aloe Vera, but it does mention that he has conducted research on the antibacterial properties of bee propolis.
What is the main focus of Dr. Atherton's research on Aloe Vera?