Aloe Vera

The Scientific name of Aloe vera: Aloe

Name in different languages:-

English: Indian aloe

Sanskrit: Kumari, Ghrtakumari

Hindi: Kumari, Gritkumari

Malayalam: Kattarvazha കറ്റാർവാഴ, Kumari കുമാരി

Tamil: Sirukattali

Plant description

Aloe vera, commonly known as Kumari or Kattarvazha is a stemless, perennial, Acaulescent herb, with a short stem and shallow root system. Leaves radical, 30-60 cm long, fleshy, in rosettes, sessile, glaucous-green, often crowded with horny prickles on margins, narrowed from base to apex, surface pale green color with irregular white blotches, inside of the leaf contain a white jelly-like substance. Inflorescence 90-135 cm long, simple or few branched, racemes terminal, up to 40 cm long. The flowers are yellow or orange, about 2.5 cm long, produced on a spike up to 90 cm tall. Fruits loculicidal capsules, 1.5×1.0 cm, cylindrical or ellipsoid-oblong.

Dried pulp of leaves(Eliyo) – ‘Angady’ medicine is available in the market named ‘Chenninayakam-ചെന്നിനായകം’ which can be used instead of fresh leaves, which is a bitter taste, black in color when dried. this is medically important in Ayurvedic treatments.

Useful plant parts:

Whole Plant, Leaf, Leaf juice, Elio-dried gum

Shape-Tapered	Margin-Spiny	Venation-Parallel

Medicinal uses of Aloe Vera-Kumari: 

To treat skin disorders, to treat dandruff, arthritis, scalp, diabetics, high cholesterol, Wounds, cuts, liver, and kidney bladder disorders.

Ayurvedic uses of Aloe Vera

1. Digestive Health: Aloe Vera is considered a natural digestive aid. It is used to soothe and cleanse the digestive tract, and it may be helpful in conditions like indigestion, constipation, and irritable bowel syndrome.
2. Skin Health: Aloe Vera is well-known for its benefits to the skin. It is used to treat various skin conditions such as burns, wounds, eczema, psoriasis, acne, and insect bites. It’s believed to have wound-healing and anti-inflammatory properties.
3. Hair Health: Ayurveda suggests that Aloe Vera can nourish and strengthen hair, promoting healthy growth and reducing dandruff.
4. Anti-inflammatory Properties: Aloe Vera is considered to have anti-inflammatory properties, which can be beneficial for reducing inflammation in the body.
5. Detoxification: It is used as a detoxifying agent, helping to cleanse the body of toxins and promoting overall health.
6. Immune System Support: Ayurveda suggests that Aloe Vera may help boost the immune system, potentially making the body more resistant to infections.
7. Joint Health: Aloe Vera is used to reduce inflammation and pain in conditions like arthritis.
8. Menstrual Irregularities: In some Ayurvedic practices, Aloe Vera is used to regulate menstrual cycles and alleviate menstrual discomfort.
9. Weight Management: Some Ayurvedic practitioners use Aloe Vera to aid in weight loss, as it is believed to help improve digestion and metabolism.
10. Liver Health: It may be used to support liver function and detoxification processes.
11. Circulatory Health: Aloe Vera may be used to improve blood circulation.
12. Oral Health: It is used in Ayurveda to promote oral health. Aloe Vera juice may be used as a mouthwash to help with conditions like gingivitis.
13. Diabetes Management: Some studies suggest that Aloe Vera may help regulate blood sugar levels, which can be beneficial for individuals with diabetes. However, more research is needed in this area.

Chemical content:

Mucopolicaride, Barbaloin, beta-barbaloin, capalo-resino-tannol combined with p-coumaric acid.

Medicinal Properties:

Anti-aging, Anti-Inflammatory, Anthelmintic, purgative, carminative, hair tonic, hepatoprotective, diuretic, ophthalmic, uterine tonic, antidermatitic

How to prepare medicines

Dandruff – Apply jelly of aloe vera leaves on the head keep it for half an hour and wash out, repeat this for three days.

Wounds – The juice of leaves is mixed with turmeric powder and applied on wounds.

Leucorrhea – to treat white discharge in women- take leaf juice with cow milk or goat milk.

Ayurveda properties

Kumari is used as an ingredient in Ayurvedic medicines like:-