Aloe vera (Aloe vera / barbadensis, Aloe capensis / ferox) is found mainly in sk in care products for use Barbados

aloe Aloe Cleopatra, legendary Egyptian queen is once Julius Caesar, Roman general who hav e wrapped around your finger. The secret of her beauty: aloe vera. At least acco rding to the traditions that they regularly used their skin. Whether this is tru e, can prove difficult. After all, aloe vera was cultivated in ancient Egypt as a crop. Promising scholars from the unassuming desert plant not only beauty but also hea lth whether for stomach or intestinal disorders, or for wound treatment. In the Middle Ages belonged to the ingredients of the aloe herbal elixir Swedish bitters. What is the medicinal plant and where they occur? The Barbados aloe (Aloe vera) has thick, fleshy leaves, which are in a basal ros ette. The leaves are up to 50 centimeters long and are on the leaf margin toothe d coarse. The yellow to orange-yellow flowers form dense clusters. The infloresc ence is up to one meter high. At the Cape Aloe (Aloe capensis), the flowers are orange to red. Both species belong to the Affodillgewchsen (Asphodelaceae) and co me from Africa. While the Barbados aloe grown in the Caribbean and India, the Ca pe Aloe grows in East and Southern Africa. Which part of plant and substances are used? Used is contained in the leaves of the latex. He is in relation to the Barbados aloe (Aloe vera) from anthranoids. The substance aloin is the main component. In addition, there is the so-called Aloe resin in the juice, with a large proportion of long-chain sugar molecules and Glucosylchromonen (polysaccharides). The Cape Aloe contains less aloin, but bitter. What do the ingredients? While helping the medicinal plant? The anthranoids get bound to sugar molecules in the large intestine, where they are converted by bacterial enzymes into their active forms. These act on ion cha nnels in the intestinal mucosa and thus inhibit the uptake of water and salts. I n consequence, increasingly salty water accumulates in the digestive tract, whic h accelerates the evacuation of the bowels. Extracts from the Cape Aloe therefore serve as an herbal laxative for constipati on. But beware: such Abfrmittel you should always use only the short term. Lasts longer, or the obstruction of the bowel is slow again, you should do so by a doc tor to clarify. There are also milder herbal alternatives, such as psyllium or f laxseed. From the milky juice of the aloe Barbados aloe vera gel is obtained, that is fou nd in many cosmetic products. The gel should have a cooling effect on the skin a nd moisturize. Aloe vera can help whether in addition to its soothing properties against inflammatory skin diseases like eczema or psoriasis, have large-scale s tudies prove. Important notes: Anthranoid-containing plant extracts, including Aloe leaves out may not be used in intestinal obstruction, inflammatory bowel disease or abdominal pain of unkno wn cause. Also, not during pregnancy and lactation and in children under twelve. After ingestion it can cause cramping stomach and intestinal complaints occur, s ometimes even turns the urine red.

Laxatives should only be used for a short time and only when other measures have not been sufficient. During long-term use, it can through the water and salt ba lance, especially potassium, come back to constipation. Diuretics (diuretic drugs), corticosteroids, cardiac glycosides (used for heart failure) and licorice root can interact with the anthranoids. Ask your doctor or pharmacist. Drink enough, if you take aloe as a laxative agent