A perennial herb, growing to a height of 50 cm, with very short stem, taproot 5-10 cm long with many secondary roots in the upper soil, freely suckering and forming dense groups; leaves about 16, erect to slightly spreading, narrowly triangular, 40-50 cm x 6-7 cm, upper surface grey-green to pale green with few to many spots, lower surface generally lighter, margin with firm deltoid pale teeth of 2 mm; inflorescence simple or sparsely branched, 60- 100 cm tall, racemes 30-40 cm x 5-6 cm, densely flowered; flowers with yellow, orange or red perianth, stiffly pendulous, anthers and stigma exerted.
Lidah buaya (Malay), Aloe vera (Eng.)
Leaves
Leaves are used in health drinks or in fruit juices, in the beverage industries.
2106.90.0990 for following categories
Most likely cultivated
No official data on the total areas of production <30 hectares in official record.
Crude and semi-processed for the beverage industries
Herbal products are regulated under the Control of Drugs and Cosmetics Regulations 1984. This Act requires that the product to be registered for marketing contained acceptable and allowed limits of heavy metals, acceptable and permitted level of microbial count, absence of adulterants and approved claims and indications.
National Pharmaceutical and Drug Control Bureau (NPCB) under the Ministry of Health is the regulatory body overseeing the registration of prescription drugs, Over-the-counter (OTC) products, traditional medicines (including herbal products) and cosmetics, licensing of premises for importers, manufacturers and wholesalers, as well as Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification. Any product with medicinal claims and in dosage form would require registration and approval from NPCB. Registration was based on quality and safety profile of the product. Information on the registration procedure is available from NPCB (http://www.bpfk.gov.my).
The fresh yellow leaf juice is often used as a laxative or purgative and refrigerant. Externally, it is often used to treat burns, wounds, abrasions, skin diseases, irritations and alopecia. Fresh Aloe vera has a multitude of medicinal applications in South-East Asia. The leaf sap or juice is applied externally to treat pimples, blackheads or cuts. The sap mixed with other ingredients to mask its bitter taste is taken in Indonesia against asthma and to treat coughs. In the Philippines, similar mixtures are taken to cure dysentery and kidney problems or against dyspepsia.In Indo-China, the fresh leaf juice is considered purgative, anthelmintic and depurative.
In Papua New Guinea, the juice is used internally to treat stomach ulcers. The leaf gel or peeled leaves are generally externally applied to treat skin afflictions and as a poultice on contusions or as a general refrigerant. The gel may also be applied externally on haemorrhoids. It is furthermore used as a hair wash to promote hair growth and as a general cosmetic to improve the complexion and to smooth the skin. Sometimes the peeled leaves are eaten to relieve sore throat and coughs and as a mild laxative. Aloe vera is the source of the 'Curaçao aloe' drug, which is used as a purgative, vermifuge, emmenagogue and stomachic.
The aloe drugs ('jadam') used in Malaysia and South-East Asia are mostly imported. 'Jadam' is used as an aperient (laxative), but it is also put on wounds and swellings, and daubed on the abdomen in the case of fever and after confinement. Furthermore a dye can be obtained from the dried leaf sap.
The mucilaginous gel from the parenchymatous cells in the leaf pulp of Aloe vera is used to treat wounds and cuts. The treatment of inflammation is still the key effect for most types of healing but it is now realized that this is a complex process and that many of its constituent processes may be addressed in different ways by different gel components. Much recent research is focused on the immunomodulatory properties of the gel polysaccharides, especially the acetylated mannans, which are now a proprietary substance covered by many patents (Grindlay and Reynolds, 1986).
Vazquez et al., 1996, demonstrated that the extracts of Aloe vera gel had anti-inflammatory activity and suggested its inhibitory action on the arachidonic acid pathway via cyclooxygenase.
The plant contains 96% water, remainder being the active ingredients that include essential oils, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, enzymes and glycoproteins. The main constituents of the gel are polysaccharides, pectin and hemicelluloses. Other known compounds are aloctin A, aloctin B, and the acemannan content is purported to have therapeutic and healing properties.
Aloe vera can cause dermatological side-effects (Ernst, 2000).