Aloe
Aloe is a plant that produces two substances used in health care products: clear gel and yellow latex.
People use aloe's clear gel topically to treat burns, psoriasis, and acne. Some people also take the gel orally to treat constipation. Aloe latex is also used as a laxative.
Aloe gel is generally safe when used as directed for oral use. However, taking 1 gram of aloe latex a day for several days can cause kidney damage and might be fatal.
Evidence
There is research on the use of aloe for specific conditions, and it shows that it is effective for that purpose.
- Burns and wounds.Applying aloe gel appears to speed up wound healing for first- and second-degree burns. Aloe gel might also help promote wound healing.
- Acne.It is suggested that applying aloe gel in the morning and evening, in addition to using a topical prescription acne medicine such as Retin-A Atralin, may be more effective at reducing acne than using just a topical prescription.
- Psoriasis.Aloe extract cream might reduce redness, scaling, and itching caused by mild to moderate psoriasis. You might need to use the cream several times a day for a month or more to see improvements in your skin.
- Herpes simplex virus.Applying a cream that contains aloe extract might help lesions heal sooner.
- Oral lichen planus.Some research suggests that applying aloe gel twice a day for eight weeks might help reduce the symptoms of this inflammatory condition that affects the inside of the mouth.
- Constipation.It is unclear if oral use of aloe latex is effective at treating constipation. While it is a laxative, aloe latex can also cause stomach cramps and diarrhea.
Our take
Generally safe
Aloe gel is generally safe and can be helpful in treating skin conditions such as burns and psoriasis.
Do not orally consume untreated aloe latex, or processed aloe latex that has potentially cancer-causing compounds. Taking 1 gram of unprocessed aloe latex daily for several days can cause kidney damage, and taking processed aloe latex in this way might be fatal.
Safety and side effects
Some people consider aloe gel to be safe when it is applied to the skin in the correct doses. It may be safe when taken orally for a short period of time.
Taking oral aloe latex or whole-leaf extract can be unsafe and is likely to result in acute kidney failure and death. Taking 1 gram per day of aloe latex for several days can cause nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps. Aloe latex also has the potential to cause cancer. Other side effects include nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps. Using aloe latex or whole-leaf extract from aloe plants can cause diarrhea in young children.
Interactions
Possible interactions include:
- Herbs and supplements that contain anticoagulants and anti-platelet drugs can be used to treat blood clotting problems.These types of drugs, herbs, and supplements reduce blood clotting. Taking oral aloe with either of these types of medications might lead to increased bleeding.
- Digoxin (Lanoxin).Using aloe latex orally can lower potassium levels. If potassium levels are low, this might increase the side effects of digoxin. Don't take aloe latex and digoxin together.
- Diabetes drugs.Taking oral aloe gel with diabetes drugs might increase the risk of a condition in which blood sugar levels are low (hypoglycemia).
- Oral drugs.It is possible that oral use of aloe latex will decrease the absorption of other medications. This might reduce their effectiveness.
- Sevoflurane (Ultane).This anesthesia might slow blood clotting. If you are going to have surgery, oral use of aloe might also help. Combined use of this anesthesia and aloe might lead to excessive bleeding during surgery.
- Stimulant laxatives.Using aloe latex orally with stimulant laxatives might make your bowels overstimulated. This can lead to dehydration.
- Warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven).Taking aloe latex orally can cause diarrhea. This can increase the effects of warfarin, a blood-thinning drug, and the risk of bleeding.
- Water pills (diuretics).If aloe latex is taken orally and is used in combination with diuretics, it might decrease potassium levels too much. If this happens, potassium supplementation might be needed.