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Concept
Aloe vera
Summary
Aloe vera (ˈæloʊ(i)_vɛrə,_vɪər-) is a succulent plant species of the genus Aloe. It is widely distributed, and is considered an invasive species in many world regions.
An evergreen perennial, it originates from the Arabian Peninsula, but grows wild in tropical, semi-tropical, and arid climates around the world. It is cultivated for commercial products, mainly as a topical treatment used over centuries. The species is attractive for decorative purposes, and succeeds indoors as a potted plant.
The leaves of Aloe vera contain significant amounts of the polysaccharide gel acemannan which can be used for a wide range of medical purposes. The skin contains aloin which is toxic. Products made from Aloe vera usually only use the gel.
There are many products containing aloe vera's acemannan, including skin lotions, cosmetics, ointments and gels for minor burns and skin abrasions.
Oral ingestion of aloe vera extracts can be dangerous, because it causes reactions which are not fully understood yet. It is especially dangerous for pregnant women; some people have allergic reactions, even when only applied to the skin.
The genus name Aloe is derived from the Arabic word alloeh, meaning "bitter and shiny substance" or from Hebrew אוהלים ahalim, plural of אוהל ahal. The specific epithet vera comes from verus meaning "true" in Latin.
Common names use aloe with a region of its distribution, such as Chinese aloe, Cape aloe or Barbados aloe.
The species has several synonyms: Aloe barbadensis Mill., Aloe indica Royle, Aloe perfoliata L. var. vera and Aloe vulgaris Lam. Some literature identifies the white-spotted form of Aloe vera as Aloe vera var. chinensis; and the spotted form of Aloe vera may be conspecific with A. massawana. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 as Aloe perfoliata var. vera, and was described again in 1768 by Nicolaas Laurens Burman as Aloe vera in Flora Indica on 6 April and by Philip Miller as Aloe barbadensis some ten days after Burman in the Gardener's Dictionary.
Official source
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