What Is Aloe?
Aloe is a succulent plant that resembles a cactus. It grows all the world and has been used throughout history, particularly for constipation and minor cuts and burns. In India, it has been used by herbalists to treat intestinal infections, suppressed menses, and colic.

Aloe Vera is one of the few natural substances that professionals have scientifically documented to work. The Aloe Vera plant has been in existence for thousands of years. In ancient times the fresh plant was used. Modern science has produced effective products for a multiplicity of uses.

Decades of scientific studies on Aloe chromones reveal hundreds of structures with anti-inflammation, anti-ulcer, tyrosinase inhibition, skin protection, laxative effect and other biological activities.

The aloe leaf contains over 75 nutrients and 200 active compounds, including 20 minerals, 18 amino acids, and 12 vitamins.

What Does It Do?
Aloe aids in promoting rapid wound healing and may be an effective aid in healing a wide variety of skin and inflammatory conditions.

Aloe has many uses. It is soothing to the skin, deeply penetrating without "heat," helps to relieve pain, swelling and tightness associated with sprains, helps reduce discomfort in muscles, tendons (tendonitis), assists in the relief of itching and skin irritations, helps to stimulate healing of burns, acts as an aid in digestion.

Topically, it is not yet clear which constituents are responsible for the wound healing properties of aloe. Aloe Vera is credited with an astonishing range of therapeutic effetcs, yet modern scientists are only just beginning to investigate and understand what aloe can do.

Results of Scientific Research
Interest is gathering momentum across our country as researchers are becoming interested in alternative therapy utilizing natural products versus synthetic agents. Aloe vera research is currently being undertaken at Oklahoma University, Baylor University, and Loma Linda.

The dental uses of Aloe Vera are multiple. It is extremely helpful in the treatment of gum disease; it reduces the bleeding of the gums; it is powerfully anitseptic in gum pockets and its antifungal properties are extremely effective. Aloe Vera has been shown to enhance defense mechanisms, and it has a variety of components to help combat periodontal disease and other oral conditions.

Other oral disorders such as Candidiasis, Desquamative Gingivitis, Vesiculobullous diseases, acute monocytic leukemia, hematological disorders and nutritional problems all respond to aloe vera use. Even diabetes mellitus, Sjorgen's Syndrome, menopausal patients and medications which can cause Xerostomia or dry mouth.

Test tube studies suggest polysaccharides, such as acemannon, help promote skin healing by anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and immune-stimulating actions. Aloe’s effects on the skin may also be enhanced by its high concentration of amino acids, as well as vitamin E, vitamin C, zinc, and essential fatty acids.

How Can You Select A Reliable Product?
As Aloe marketing increases, many more people are purchasing creams, ointments, juices, and even facial tissue and shampoo containing the gel of Aloe. Of the many Aloe-based products on the market, some contain Aloe as claimed, whereas others may not or may have insufficient amounts of Aloe than that shown on their labels. The expanding Aloe industry urgently needed a way to police itself by developing test procedures and a reliable database so that a product claiming to have Aloe could be tested and certified (Waller, 1992). This certification not only could reduce fraudulent claims, but also would build consumer confidence in Aloe products.