When you suffer from sunburn, snap a piece of aloe vera. If you're bothered by acid reflux, take a little aloe vera juice. When it comes to soothing the body inside and out, aloe vera is the new wonder drug; but there's nothing new about this ancient medical secret.

The aloe vera plant has given us many popular herbal remedies. A native African plant, aloe vera plant is known as "lily of the desert", "plant of immortality" and of course, "medicine plant." The name aloe is derived from the Arabic word "alloeh", meaning "bitter taste".

Aloe Vera Herb

The aloe vera plant belongs to the family Asphodelaceae with about 400 known species currently grown. Classified as succulent plants, aloe grows in the more arid parts of Africa and in the mountains of tropical Africa. The most distinguishing part of the aloe vera herbal plant is its leaves which are large, thick, and fleshy. The leaves are shaped like lances with a sharp apex and spines lining their margins.

Ancient History

Historians have traced the use of aloe vera as an herbal or medical treatment as far back as 1500 BC. These ancient Egyptians used the plant to treat parasites, burns and infections.

Healing Properties of Aloe Vera

Evidently, the juice of the plant leaves yields certain substances, called aloes, which are good purgatives. Some species of the aloe, like Aloe venenosa, may produce poisonous juice and are therefore not recommended. However, most species, such as the A. vera, vulgaris, socotrina, chinensis, and perryi contain aloes that have therapeutic uses.

Aloe vera has been under medical scrutiny since the 1930s. Studies suggest that the clear gel of the aloe vera plant contain properties that have dramatic burn, wound and ulcer healing properties. When an affected area is coated with the gel-like substance, the wound is also safeguarded from infection-causing bacteria and other micro bodies, providing faster healing.

Aloe Vera Juice

Since it is a succulent, the aloe vera plant is composed of about 96 percent water. The remaining 4 percent consists of active ingredients, including essential oil, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, enzymes, and glycoproteins. Thanks to the many active constituents present in the aloe vera herbal plant, many modern healers have used it in their liquid health treatments. Regularly, the aloe vera herbal juice is combined with other medicinal plants in order to increase its potency. The aloe vera herbal juice produces a relieving effect on digestive tract irritations caused by disorders, such as colitis and peptic ulcers.

Herbal Supplements

The many vitamins and minerals that are found in aloe vera make it an ideal herbal supplement. Aloe vera supplements can aid in digestion, and may assist in blood and lymphatic circulation. Aloe vera herbal supplements may also improve gall bladder, kidney and liver function.

With at least three fatty acids, the aloe vera plant also presents anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, aloe vera herbal supplements can be helpful for those with colon, stomach and small intestine difficulties. By naturally alkalizing digestive juices and preventing excess stomach acids, aloe vera supplements can help to prevent these common causes of indigestion.

Aloe vera is an ancient plant, long respected for its many healing and soothing properties. For this reason, aloe is one treatment that no modern medicine cabinet should be without.