Aloe vera

Botanical Name

Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f.

Family

Liliaceae/Asphodelaceae

Synonyms

Aloe barbadensis var. chinensis Haw., Aloe barbadensis Mill.,

Regional Name

English : Indian Aloe, Hindi : Musabhar, Elva, Sanskrit : Kumari rasasambhava, Sahasara, Urdu : Musabbar, Ailiva, Siber, Punjabi : Kalasohaga, Mussabar, Alua, Assamese : Musabhar, Machambar, Bengali : Ghritakalmi, Gujrati : Eliyo, Eariyo, Kannada : Karibola, Lolesara satva, Lovalsara, Lolesara, Kashmiri : Musabbar, Siber, Malayalam : Chenninayakam, Marathi : Korphad, Oriya : Musabara, Tamil : Kattazhi, Satthukkathazhai, Telugu : Musambaram.

Part Used

Leaf Pulp.

Description

Ghrit kumari is found in Australia, Bangladesh, Cuba, China, Mexico, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa, along with the USA. Aloe vera is a stemless or very short-stemmed succulent plant growing to 60–100 cm (24–39 in) tall, spreading by offsets. The leaves are thick and fleshy, green to grey-green. The margin of the leaf is serrated and has small white teeth. The flowers are produced in summer on a spike up to 90 cm (35 in) tall, each flower being pendulous, with a yellow tubular corolla 2–3 cm (0.8–1.2 in) long.

Phytoconstituents

The main Chemical constituents are Amino acids, anthraquinones, enzymes, minerals, vitamins, lignins, monosaccharide, polysaccharides, salicylic acid, saponins, and sterols. Aloe vera contains salicylic acid which is an aspirin-like compound with anti -inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-bacterial properties. It has anti-pyretic properties for reducing fevers. Other constituents of Aloe vera would include prostaglandins, tannins, magnesium lactate, resins, mannins, proteins such as lectins, monosulfonic acid and gibberlin. Another constituent of Aloe vera includes saponins that is capable of cleansing and having antiseptic properties.

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa : Katu, Guna : Usna, Virya : Usna, Vipaka : Katu, Karma : Bhedi, Pattanirharana, Rajahpravartaka, Jvaranut.

Ayurvedic Applications

Jvara, Udararoga, Kastartava, Yakrdvikara.

Medicinal Uses

The leaf gel of Ghritkumari is used in the form of juice to treat spleen enlargement, epilepsy, penile wart, difficult micturition, inflammation in penis, abscess, jaundice, abdominal distensions, mastitis, headache and amenorrhoea, Epilepsy and palpitation of heart, Abdominal distention /One suffering from gulma, constipation and diabetes