Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. - a review.

摘要

Aloe vera, belonging to the family Liliaceae, originated from Africa. It is now widely found in tropics and introduced in India as an ornamental and medicinal herb. The healing effects of Aloe vera have been recorded throughout the world for thousands of years. More than 300 species are known worldwide and amongst these, Aloe barbadensis Miller has become naturalized in all parts of India. The climate, season, harvesting, processing & storage conditions affect the composition and potential biological activity of the plant components. Aloes are broadly classified into two groups according to their uses; for production of extract as crude drugs and for production of gel for health, cosmetic and nutracuetical purposes. The beneficial properties of Aloe vera are largely attributed to mucopolyssacharides, especially acemannan (an acetylated mannas) present in the inner gel of the leaf. The drug aloe is mainly prepared from the bitter yellow juice of the leaf. The gel is commercially used as "aloe juice" prepared by diluting the gel with water and adding preservatives. This review provides a literature up-date on information on taxonomy, cultivation, processing, chemical profiling, biological activities and current market trends of this wonder herb.