Aloe
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Purgative Herbs for Catharsis
Aloe
Latin:
Aloe
Origin:
Aloe is the genus of shrubby plants in the lily family (Liliaceae), containing about 200 species native to Africa, and now naturalized in Europe, China, Egypt, India, Southeast Asia, Mexico, South and North America, Nepal, Turkey, etc. Most members of the genus have a rosette of leaves at the base but no stem.
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Several species are cultivated as ornamentals for their sharp-pointed, spiny leaves and colourful clusters of yellow or red flowers. The juice of some species, especially the popular pot plant known as true aloe (Aloe vera), is used as an ingredient in cosmetics and in medicine as a purgative and as a treatment for burns.
Commonly known as aloe vera, botanically named Aloe barbadensis (Mill.), or Aloe vulgaris (Lam.), it is an evergreen perennial growing to 0.8 m by 1 m at a slow rate. It is in leaf all year, in flower from May to June. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). The plant requires dry or well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. It cannot grow in the shade but can tolerate drought.
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In China, aloe is cultivated in the provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, etc. The dried product of the enriched leaf is usually used as a purgative herb. It is harvested all year round.
The herb is prepared by cutting the leaves transversally at their base off the plant, collecting the liquid juice flowing out, placing it in a pot, decocting it into a thick soft extract, pouring it into a container and cooling it to let it coagulate for use as an ingredient in pills.
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Properties:
Bitter in flavor, cold in nature, it is related to the liver and large intestine channels.
Functions:
Relieves constipation by removing stagnancy, clears heat from the liver and destroys parasites.
Aloe vera is a fairly well known herbal preparation that is often available in proprietary herbal preparations. It has two distinct types of medicinal use. The clear gel contained within the leaf makes an excellent treatment for wounds, burns and other skin disorders, placing a protective coat over the affected area, speeding up the rate of healing and reducing the risk of infection. This action is in part due to the presence of aloectin B, which stimulates the immune system. To obtain this gel, the leaves can be cut in half along their length and the inner pulp rubbed over the affected area of skin. This has an immediate soothing effect on all sorts of burns and other skin problems.
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The second use comes from the yellow sap at the base of the leaf. The leaves are cut transversally at their base and the liquid that exudes from this cut is dried. It is called bitter aloes and contains anthraquinones which are a useful digestive stimulant and a strong laxative. When plants are grown in pots, though, the anthraquinone content is greatly reduced.
This plant has a folk history of treatment in cases of cancer.
The plant is used to test if there is blood in the faeces.
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Applications:
1. To treat constipation due to stagnation of heat:
Use it with cinnabar, e.g., Gengyi Wan.
2. To treat fire syndromes of the excess type in the liver channel:
Use it with rough gentian root (Radix Gentianae), cape jasmine fruit (Fructus Gardeniae), indigo, etc., e.g., Danggui Luhui Wan.
3. To treat infantile malnutrition:
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It can be used in combination with herbs that strengthen the spleen and expel parasites.
4. Miscellaneous:
This herb can be used externally for the treatment of tinea and skin ulcers because of its effect of destroying parasites.
Dosage and Administration:
1-2 g.
This herb is included in pills or powder for oral administration. Use an adequate amount externally.
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Cautions on Use:
It should be avoided by those deficient in spleen-yang, by those with loose stools and poor appetite and by pregnant women.
The plant is strongly purgative so great care should be taken over the dosage.
Reference Materials:
'On Properties of Herbs' :
"Relieving infantile malnutrition caused by ascariasis, eliminating head-boils due to infantile malnutrition by nasal insufflation and arresting nasal itching."
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'Kai Bao Materia Medica' :
"Restlessness due to wind-syndrome as a result of intense heat, accumulation of heat and qi in the chest and diaphragm, infantile epilepsy and convulsions, hemorrhoids and ulcers."
"Improving eyesight, relieving palpitations, curing five kinds of infantile malnutrition respectively involving the heart, liver, spleen, lung and kidney channels, killing ringworm, tapeworms and roundworms and removing croton fruit toxins."
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Toxic or Side Effects:
Modern Researches:
Aloe contains aloe-emodin glycoside, paracoumaric acid, a small amount of alpha-glucose, a variety of amino acids and a trace amount of volatile oil.
The aloe-anthraquinone derivatives have an irritating purgative action which leads to pronounced abdominal pain and pelvic congestion and may even cause nephritis.
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The extract of aloe can inhibit the growth of sarcoma 180 of ascites carcinoma and of isolated hearts of toads. Its water infusion can inhibit a variety of dermatomyces and Mycobacterium tuberculosis hominis.
According to reports, foods prepared with aloe as an ingredient in the United States are regarded as body-building tonics, and drinking aloe juice can prevent common colds and tonsillitis. Aloe cream, which has been made with aloe in Japan and the United States, can have curative effects on skin coarseness, freckles and swelling boils., http://www.100md.com