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Aloe
Vera's 4,000 Year History
Aloe vera has been used for many purposes throughout
history. As recently as this century, published studies show
its use in the treatment of arthritis, high cholesterol,
interstitial cystitis, nonbacterial prostatitis, chronic pelvic
pain, radiation burns, immune system disorders such as AIDS,
and diabetes. In fact, if you are a diabetic, you should
monitor your blood sugar closely when taking concentrated
forms of aloe vera. It can noticeably reduce your need
for insulin.
Therapeutic
uses of aloe vera have been reported in the medical literature
for over 50 years, although it has been reported in the botanical
and naturopathic literature for many more years. Scientific
studies exist that support the antibacterial and antifungal
effect of substances in aloe vera. Studies and case reports
provide support for the use of aloe vera in the treatment
of radiation ulcers and stasis ulcers in humans,
and burn and frostbite injuries in experimental animals. Modern
clinical medical use of aloe began in the 1930s with reports
of successful treatment of X-ray and radium burns.
Aloe vera has also been shown to be of benefit in numerous
studies in the treatment of burns, frostbite, and skin
abrasion injury.
Native
Americans recognized aloe vera as the "burn plant",
"medicine plant", and "the mystery plant".
Indian medicine men jealously guarded their knowledge of its
uses. Aristotle persuaded Alexander the Great to conquer the
island of Socotra to secure the aloe grown there for his wounded
soldiers. Medical healers of past civilizations prescribed
aloe vera for a large variety of illnesses and ailments. In
about 1750 BC, Sumerian clay tablets depicted the use of aloe
vera for medical purposes. Even earlier, perhaps as early
as 4000 BC, drawings of the aloe plant were found on temple
walls in the tombs of the Pharaohs. The Egyptians called it
the "Plant of Immortality". By 1500 BC, aloe
is mentioned in Egypt's Papyrus Embers where formulas
containing aloe are described for a variety of illnesses,
both external and internal. By 600 BC, the use of aloe appears
in the Persian Empire, then throughout the Arab world and
into India. The spread of its usage is undoubtedly attributable
to Arab traders who plied their wares through much of the
civilized world of their time. Eastern women valued aloe for
the "beauty of their skin". Nomadic people
would dig up their valuable aloe plants and carry them live
to every new campsite for fear that they might not find them
growing in their new location. There are five references to
aloe in the Bible: John 19:39-40, Numbers 24:6, Psalms 45:8,
Proverbs 7:17, Song of Solomon 4:14.
In history Aloe vera has been used to treat human and medical
problems from A to Z, and many more uses for the leaf have
been suggested in contemporary literature:
A
— allergies, abscesses, abrasions, asthma, acne,
acid indigestion, allergic reactions, anemia, arterial insufficiency,
arthritis, athlete's foot, AIDS
B — bad breath, burns, boils, bursitis,
baldness, blisters/blistering, bruises, bronchitis, bowel
regularity, bloody scours in calves, body cleanser, bladder
infections, blood pressure
C — cancer, Candida, corneal ulcers, contusions,
canker sores, cold sores, cuts, cataracts, chapped/ chafed
skin and lips, cholesterol (high), coughs, colds, colitis,
carbuncles, colic, cradle cap, cystitis, chemotherapy, constipation
D — dermatitis, dandruff, dry skin, denture
(gum) sores, diaper rash, dishpan hands, dysentery, diabetes,
depression
E– F — edema, erysipelas, epidermitis,
Epstein-Barr virus, exanthema, eczema, enteritis in fowl,
eyes, earache, fibromyalgia, feline leukemia (FeLV), favus,
fissured nipples, fever blisters, fungus
G — genital herpes, gingivitis, glaucoma,
gangrene
H — heat rash/prickly heat, headache of
all kinds, hemorrhoid, heartburn, high blood pressure, herpes
zoster/simplex
I — impetigo, inflamed joints, insomnia, ingrown
toenails, infertility due to anovulatory cycles, indigestion,
insect bites, interstitial cystitis
J – K — jaundice, joints, keratosis
follicularis, kidney infections
L — laxation, leprosy, laryngitis, lupus,
liver ailments, leukemia
M — multiple sclerosis, mastitis in cattle,
mouth irritations, muscle cramps/strains, moles
N — nausea of all kinds
O — onycholysis, odor control of chronic
ulcers, oral disorders
P — pelvic pain, pinworms, psoriasis, prostatitis,
poison ivy/oak, pancreas
R — razor burn, radiation burns, radiation
dermatitis, rashes
S — stings, styes, sprains, senile moles,
sores of all kinds, seborrhea, stretch marks, sore throat,
shingles, staph infections, sunburns, sciatic nerve, sickle-cell
disease, silicon toxicity
T — tonsillitis, tendinitis, trachoma,
tuberculosis, tumors
U — ulcerations of all kinds, urticaria,
ulcers (peptic and duodenal)
V — vaginitis, venereal sores, venous stasis,
varicose veins
W — wind burn, wheal, wounds of all kinds,
warts
X – Y – Z — X-ray burns, yeast
infections, zoster (shingles)
Excerpts From: "Aloe Vera: a
Mission Discovered"
By Lee Ritter
The chief engineer for a large, international
pharmaceutical company said to me recently, "Lee, we've
known for some time about the benefits of aloe vera but there's
no incentive for us to put up the multi-millions it would
cost to get it approved as a drug by the Federal Drug Administration."
Estimated costs for obtaining FDA approval of a new drug can
run from 100 to 300 million dollars. I replied, "What
do you mean no incentive? AIDS, cancer, tumors, ulcers, heart
disease, burns, it's a miracle drug." "You don't
understand," he countered. "When we finish our research
and obtain FDA approval and registration, there's nothing
to patent. We would have no proprietary interest. Aloe vera
is a natural product protected from patent. Every drug company
in the world would take advantage of our research and start
producing aloe drugs. The bottom line is, profits aren't there."
What a
condemnation of our society. Medical healers of past civilizations,
not having to deal with bureaucratic administrations, prescribed
aloe vera for a large variety of illnesses and ailments. In
about 1750 BC, Sumerian clay tablets indicated the use of
aloe vera for medical purposes. It appears that even earlier,
perhaps as early as 4000 BC, drawings of it were found on
temple walls in the tombs of the Pharaohs. It is said that
the Egyptians called it the "Plant of Immortality".
It may have been one of the substances used in the embalming
practice. The traditional use may have carried down to the
time of Christ where we read of aloe being applied to the
body of Christ: And there came also Nicodemus, which at
first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh
and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. And they took the
body of Jesus and wound it in linen clothes with the spices
as the manner of the Jews is to bury (John 19:39-40).
Perhaps the Jews learned of aloe during the time they were
in the land of Egypt.
There
are five references in the Bible to aloe (including the one
in John just mentioned): As the valleys are they spread
forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign
aloes which the Lord hath planted, and as cedar trees beside
the waters (Numbers 24:6). All thy garments smell of
myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, outof the ivory palaces, whereby
they have made thee glad (Psalms 45:8). I have perfumed
my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon (Proverbs 7:17).
Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees
of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices
(Song of Solomon 4:14).
By 1500
BC, aloe is mentioned in Egypt's Papyrus
Embers where formulas containing aloe are described
for a variety of illnesses, both external and internal. By
about 600 BC the use of aloe appears in the Persian Empire,
then throughout the Arab world and into India. The spread
of its usage is undoubtedly attributable to Arab traders who
plied their wares through much of the then civilized world.
Aloe vera,
known as Ghee-guar-ka-palhtha in India, is still used in that
country for treating a variety of illnesses, including ophthalmological
disorders, enlargement of the spleen, hepatitis, skin disorders,
musculoskeletal disorders, menstrual disorders, and as a purgative.
In 1985, O. P. Agarwal, a medical doctor in India, presented
to the American College of Angiology a paper reporting astounding
results using aloe vera in the treatment of 5,000 patients
with atheromatous heart disease and diabetes.
In the
first century AD, the Greeks were mentioning aloe in their
writings. Celsius saw its use as a purgative. Pliny used aloe
in the treatment of leprous sores. In his Greek
Herbal, Dioscorides indicated its use in the treatment
of skin disorders such as boils, ulcerated genitals, dry itchy
skin, bruises, hemorrhoids, tonsils, gums, mouth pain, and
as an eye medicine: Aloe … is of a strong scent,
and very bitter to ye taster, but it is but of one root having
a root as a stake. It grows in India very much, …
from when also ye extracted juice is brought. It hath
a power of binding, or procuring sleep, of drying, of thickening
of bodies, and loosening of ye belly, and of cleansing of
ye stomach being drank ye quantity of 2 spoonfuls with water
cold, or warm milk; … it stops ye spitting of
blood; and it cleanseth ye Icterus. And it being swallowed
also with Rosin, or taken either with water or sod honey it
looseth ye belly, but ye quantity of 3 drams doth fully purge.
But being mixed with other purging medicines it makes them
less hurtful to ye stomach. By being sprinkled on dry, it
conglutinates wounds, and brings to a cicatrix boils, and
represseth them; but it properly healeth exulcerated genitals,
and conglutinates ye broken preputia of boys. It cures also
the Condylomata, and ye chaps of ye seat being mixed with
sweet wine. And it stops ye fluxes of blood that come from
Hemorrhoids, and it brings to a cicatrix ye pterygia, takes
away blacks and blues, and ye Hypoxia with honey. And it assuageth
Scabrities and the itching of ye eye corners, and ye headache
being anointed with acetum and roseceum on ye forehead and
the temples, and with wine it stays ye hair falling off, and
with honey and wine it is good for ye tonsils, as also the
gums and all griefs in ye mouth.
In Africa,
tribes have used aloe to treat colds and to eliminate human
scent. Probably brought to the Americas by the Spanish, aloe
has been used for colds, to protect children from insect bites,
as a healing gel for burns, intestinal disorders, ulcers,
and kidney and bladder infections. In the Philippines, it
was used to treat beriberi sufferers and in Malaysia to relieve
headaches.
There
is little recorded use in Europe that I am aware of. However,
this is probably attributable to the climate. Aloe would have
had to be shipped from Africa and its effectiveness by the
time of arrival would have been most questionable. If not
effective, its use would be quickly discontinued. It has had
considerable usage in Russia in recent periods. In this century
it has been the subject of Russian medical studies in the
areas of dermatological use, respiratory ailments, including
tuberculosis, gum infection, as a hemostatic agent following
tonsillectomy, and in improving small intestine function.
I submit
that had aloe not had beneficial healing results, its usage
would have been rapidly discontinued in the civilizations
I have referenced. That a plant found in nature has such healing
effect should be no surprise. Over 300 well-known drugs used
in medicine today came from plants. Cortisone was developed
from the Mexican yam. Quinine came from the bark of the cinchona
tree. From curare we obtain the skeletal muscle relaxant used
in surgery. A frequently used pupil dilator comes from the
belladonna plant. Digitalis, used in heart ailments, was derived
from foxglove. Snakeroot provides a sedative for hypertension.
Medicines used in treating Hodgkin's disease and childhood
leukemia were developed from the Madagascar periwinkle. Morphine
comes from the opium poppy and cocaine from the coca plant.
From fungus ergot we obtain a drug that stops bleeding in
childbirth and relieves migraine headaches. And the list goes
on.
Desert Harvest does not make any health claims regarding any of its products. Even though we are committed to scientific research, we are not healthcare professionals. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. As with any good health measures, it is important for an individual to be under the routine care of a physician and to follow the directions of qualified healthcare professionals. The suggestions, statements, and products on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
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