Application in homeopathy
Homeopathy uses aloe from the dried juice of the leaves for diarrhoea and flatulence with liver involvement, especially for morning diarrhoea. Typical for the affected persons is the perceived great weakness after the diarrhoea. Commonly used are the administration of potencies from D4 (D-potency = “dilution” in the range of 1:10).
Side effects
An overdose of aloin can damage the kidneys, the substance is also suspected of being carcinogenic. Symptoms of poisoning occur, which manifest themselves in cramp-like pain and severe diarrhoea. This can lead to life-threatening electrolyte and water losses.
Pregnant women should not take aloe either. Furthermore, as with all laxatives, continuous use should be avoided. Most aloe vera products on the market only contain the gel and not the yellow juice, which can be thickened to a resin and contains the glycoside aloin.
From old records one learns that aloe vera was already used as a remedy 5000 years ago. The ability of the plant to survive long periods of drought without damage and to close injuries on its own quickly led to the belief that this must have been a medicinal plant. It was believed to have a special relationship to human skin.
The Egyptians called it a plant of immortality or the blood of the gods. Here the gel was already used to care for the skin. Later, the warriors under Alexander the Great are said to have used the gel to heal injuries.
Aloe vera gel
The gel comes from the real aloe and is extracted from the water reservoir of the leaves. It contains multiple and simple sugars, water-soluble vitamins, amino acids, lipase and salicylic acid. If the thick bark is carefully extracted and removed, the gel is free of the laxative aloin.
This occurs outside the water storage tissue in the yellow juice under the leaf bark. For shelf life, methods such as spray or freeze-drying are used. In any case, follow the instructions for use for the individual products, because not every gel is automatically suitable for internal use.
In folk medicine a lot of application possibilities are described for aloe vera gel. For example, for external use: in the case of sunburn, the effect of aloe vera gel is compared with that of cortisone. It is said to bring rapid relief, to have a cooling effect and to accelerate the healing of redness and pain.
The gel is said to have an anti-inflammatory effect, it is said to promote the cell multiplication effect and accelerate healing. In the case of burns, which are extremely painful, the gel is said to promote healing and alleviate the symptoms. Aloe vera gel is said to promote wound healing after surgery.
Here it should have a pain-relieving effect, the wounds should heal faster and become inflamed less often. Radiation therapies often cause considerable skin irritation, which further worsens the quality of life of the seriously ill patients. By treating the irradiated areas externally with aloe vera gel, which is applied from the beginning, these skin changes should appear later and be less severe.
It should also have a pain-relieving effect. Positive results have been reported in the treatment of psoriasis and genital herpes with aloe vera gel. Side effects such as burning and itching can occur when applied externally.
Internal use of aloe vera gel only after careful study of the instructions for use. Not all gels are suitable for internal use. Internal use is advertised at:
- Sunburn
- Burns and injuries
- Skin diseases such as eczema, psoriasis, herpes
- Insect bites
- Abrasions
- Poorly healing wounds
- Itching
- Gingivitis
- Elevated blood lipid levels
- Irritable bowel syndrome, flatulence
- Irritable Stomach
- Heartburn
- Vascular Calcification
- Immunodeficiency
- Elevated blood sugar levels
