Aloe vera is a succulent plant indigenous to Africa and tropical countries. It has strong fibrous roots and fleshy leaves containing a gel with various active chemical constituents like anthraquinones, enzymes, hormones, minerals, salicylic acid, saponins, steroids, sugars, and vitamins. The gel is extracted from leaves through filleting, grinding, and purification processes. Aloe vera has many medicinal uses like treating skin conditions, diabetes, cancer, and liver infections. However, overuse of its laxative compounds can cause adverse effects like abdominal pain, electrolyte imbalances, and melanosis coli.

1. ALOE VERA
COMPLETE PHARMACOGNOSY

2. INTRODUCTION
BOTONICAL NAME
ALOE VERA, ALOE BARBADENSIS, ALOE FEROX, ALOE PERRYI.
FAMILY
LILIACEAE
COMMON NAME
ALOE, KAWAR, GANDAL ETC.
PART USED
SOLID RESIDUE (DRIED JUICE)OBTAINED BY EVAPORATING THE LIQUID
WHICH DRAINS FROM THE TRANSVERSELY CUT LEAVES OF VARIOUS
SPECIES OF ALOE.
GEOGRAPHICAL ORIGN
INDIGENOUS TO EAST AND SOUTH AFRICA, WEST INDIES AND
TROPICAL COUNTRIES, COUNTRIES BORDERING ON THE
MEDITERRANEAN.

3. MACROSCOPIC CHARACTERISTICS
 Succulent plant
 Perennial plant
 Strong and fibrous roots
 Numerous, Narrow, Thick and fleshy leaves, proceeding from the
upper part of the root
 Strongly cuticularized and usually prickly at the margins.

4. CULTIVATION AND COLLECTION
 Prefer light(Sandy), medium(Loamy) soils.
 Well-drained soil, Can grow in nutritionally poor soil or can tolerate
drought (Xerophytic plant).
 Prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils.
 Can not grow in shade.
 Seeds are sown in the Spring in a warm green house.
 The seed usually germinates in 1-6 months at 16°C.
 Seedlings transferred to pots containing well drained soil, allowed to
grow in sunny part for atleast their first two winters.

5. CULTIVATION AND COLLECTION
 The offsets will be available, usually in Spring.
 Young offsets are planted in soil after the rainy season in rows
situated at a distance of 60 cm.
 Leaves are collected in the second year.
 The leaves are cut near the base, kept inside of Kerosene tins and
taken them to a central place for the preparation of Aloe. [1]

6. EXTRACTION
 To achieve crude gel, leaves were subjected to filleting and grinding
process and purified using hot treatment method and enzymatic
treatment method.
 The study also reveals that filtration with activated charcoal and Hyflo
supercelR, gives clear appearance to the gel.
 Gel was analyzed by colorimetric method for estimation of
polysaccharide using Congo red as complexing agent.
 The addition of pectolytic enzyme Pectinase yields Aloe vera gel with
45% more polysaccharide content than gel obtained by simple heat
treatment. [3]

7. CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS &
THEIR ACTIVITY
 Amino acid  Basic building block of proteins in the body &
mucle tissues
 Anthraquinones  Analgesic, Antibacterial
 Enzymes  Antifungal & Antiviral activity but toxic at
high concentration.
 Hormones  Wound healing & Anti-Inflammatory
 Minerals  Essential for good health
 Salicyclic acid  Analgesic
 Saponins  Cleaning & Antiseptic
 Steroids  Anti-inflammatory, Antiseptic & Analgesic
 Sugars  Antiviral, Immune modulating
 Vitamins  Antioxiant, Neutralises free radicals [2]

8. MEDICINAL USES
 Cosmetic & Skin Protection Application
 Antiseptic
 Anti Diabetic
 Anticancer Properties
 Oxidative Stress
 Relieves Itching Aids Healing
 relieves joint and muscle pain
 Relief in Liver Infections
 Stabilizes blood sugar and reduces cholesterol in diabetics [1] [2]

9. UNIQUE BENEFITS OF ALOE
 Penetration – aloe has the ability to reach deepest body tissues some
7 layers deep
 Antiseptic – aloe has at least 6 antiseptic agents which kill bacteria,
viruses and fungi
 Stimulates cell growth – aloe stimulates the birth of new healthy
tissue
 Settles nerves – aloe has a clearing effect on the body’s nervous
system
 Cleanses – aloe detoxifies and normalizes the body’s metabolism [1]

10. ADVERSE REACTIONS
 Abdominal spasms & pain after every single dose
 Thin, Watery stools
 Chronic abuse of anthraquinone stimulant laxative can lead to:
1. Hepatitis and Electrolyte disturbances (hypokalaemia, hypocalcaemia),
2. Metabolic acidosis, 3. Malabsorption,
4. Weight loss, 5. Albuminuria,
6. Haematuria
 Polysaccharides which increase the insulin level and show hypoglycemic
properties.
 Melanotic pigmentation of the colonic mucosa (pseudomelanosis coli) has
been observed in individuals taking anthraquinone laxatives for extended
time periods. [2]

11. REFERENCES
1. http://www.phytojournal.com/vol2Issue5/Issue_jan_2014/19.1.pdf
2. https://file.scirp.org/Html/39281.html
3. http://www.tsijournals.com/abstract/extraction-purification-and-
identification-of-aloe-gel-from-aloe-vera-aloe-barbadensis-miller-
4596.html