Description
Aloe vera, the scientific name of which is also aloe vera or aloe barbadensis, is a plant from the Aloeaceae family. To this day its exact origin remains unknown. However, it was known in Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt and ancient Greece for over 2000 BC for its laxative and cutaneous (skin) properties. It would then have spread to Europe in particular the Mediterranean region before the Spanish conquistadors brought it to America during colonization.
We can think that aloe vera would have appeared in the Caribbean and therefore in Martinique during the 16th and 17th centuries.
Today, aloe vera is present on all continents but it is in South Africa that we find the greatest number of species.
Aloe vera is a perennial, trunkless shrub that belongs to the genus Aloes, which includes around 400 species around the world. However, only about ten remain used for their medicinal properties.
It is a so-called succulent plant. It measures between 60 cm and 1 m high. The leaves are green, triangular with jagged edges but above all, their peculiarities, a thickness of sometimes several centimeters!
Each sheet is made up of 3 layers:
- The outer layer, a thick cuticle that has a protective function and gives rigidity to the plant.
- The middle layer of latex, the chlorophyll parenchyma from which the juice spontaneously flows after the cut. It has a bitter, yellow sap.
- An inner layer made up of the gel, a thick, mucilaginous liquid.
If the gel and the juice are the two parts that are used in the plant, it is important not to confuse them!
Therapeutic virtues
The juice which is also called sap is rich in hydroxyanthracenic heterosides (compounds of plant origin, having laxative properties) mainly aloin A and B. This is called the "plant drug".
The gel which is also called the pulp is composed of 99% water but it is the other elements that compose it that make it an exceptional product. Indeed, it would be rich in vitamins (A, C, E, B1, B2, B3, B4, B6, B9 (folic acid), B12), minerals and enzymes (bradykinase, lipase, peroxidase, tyrosinase ...), essential animate acids, fatty acids (linoleic acid) and others.
Aloe vera has laxative effects thanks to the aloins that compose it.
Its antioxidant properties are recognized.
This plant is also effective for hydration of the body thanks to water and its various components. It is ideal for moisturizing the hair.
Its gel stimulates the skin and allows an increase in the synthesis of collagen and elastic fibers which will improve the elasticity of the skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. It also helps slow the appearance of brown spots.
The gel is effective for wound healing being a powerful anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and immunostimulant. It promotes tissue repair.
Finally aloe vera is also an antiallergic.
How to grow it
Aloe vera is a succulent or succulent plant, that is to say a fleshy plant adapted to survive in arid environments due to the characteristics of the soil, the climate or a high concentration of salt. It requires a hot summer environment and does not tolerate frost.
It is therefore perfectly suited to a tropical climate. It does not require too much maintenance, nor frequent watering.
If you are in a temperate environment, do not hesitate to take it out in the summer as soon as the temperatures are around 18°C but bring it in as soon as the cold reappears during the fall.
Indoors, it should be exposed to full light but protect it from direct sunlight.
