Anticancer DIET DOCTOR Laskin

I myself on this diet myself have not tried. But of her races told me LN Hurel, a doctor from Sergiev Posad, an expert on natural methods of healing, which I am very grateful for advice on the medical part of the book.

Online magazine "Sport" is placed very interesting material, Vladimir Dobkin. Here is an excerpt from it.

"Imagine the following scene: a doctor-oncologist from Moscow are invited to Obninsk to serious illness. Diagnosis - lymphosarcoma. Inspect too, it dozens of times already examined. Tsarevo Vladimir patient 46 years old, skinny as a teenager with an unnaturally large belly like a watermelon man swallowed. Virtually no getting out of bed, a deadly diagnosis known to him, but because the new doctor met with little enthusiasm. The man of science, he no longer believes in miracles.

On the other hand, the patient, who was sentenced inevitable horror of the diagnosis, the right to expect from a specialist at least a word of hope! A visiting doctor talking about food, it is imperative in this case, and in the end pulled out a portfolio package cereals. Amazed by the patient, unable to even get up from his bed, put his hand inside the package and saw the palm brown specks.

- Buckwheat? - Asked in surprise Tsarev.

- Yes, buckwheat, - responsible Laskin, had already exhausted their amazing suspicious patients. - And if you want to recover, it will be the foundation of your diet for a long time. But I will come back to you exactly one week. Then we'll talk more specifically.

A week later, Dr. Luskin was back in Obninsk. And although he had almost got used to that effect is sometimes remarkably fast, Tsarev still surprised him so that he had met at the door of the Chamber on its own two feet, and arbuzopodobny belly has disappeared, now a hospital gown was deliberately tied a belt denoting the waist.

I understand that, having reached this point in the article, any reader with an average set of knowledge about human physiology, but much less familiar with how the process of cancer, will not experience any other feelings other than distrust. Cancer can handle elementary buckwheat? The one familiar to us from childhood that still seems very recent (the older and even middle age remember it well) gave out entirely in order and only to the red dates in the calendar, but today it can be purchased at every street corner in any store ? But be not be!

Frankly, we, the editorial staff, embraced this new information for us with a great deal of mistrust and skepticism. And although the doctor came Laskin to the editor, so to speak, not in the streets, and on the advice of longtime friend and collaborator edition of this unique technique Balyury Alexander, PhD, believe in the healing of three meals a day Liquid buckwheat, accompanied by copious drinking it - at least 8 glasses per day (preferably not from the tap, since many of our cities and towns of the cranes expires know that, but not bracer), it was very difficult to even. It took many hours of conversations, the detailed study of a multi-patent publications B. Laskin in the trade press, consulting with experts to come to the conclusion: no miracle, a profound knowledge of the organism and its dependence on food ". (Http://www.fismag .ru/pub/dopkin09/php)

So what is the secret?

To avoid confusing the reader amateurish narration of special things, and bring the material ZP Belkin, Candidate of Medical Science degree in immunology, allergology, a leading researcher FSIS MNIIEM them. GN Gabrichevsky.

"Can you beat cancer? Judging by the sad statistics of oncologists, it is unlikely, especially in advanced cases. Meanwhile, the cancer is frequently diagnosed in the final third and 4 th stages, when cancer cells spread throughout the body and the capabilities of traditional methods of treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy) are very limited.

But there is another approach to cancer therapy - nutritional. Among all known anti-cancer diets most attention is currently attracting a well-known diet doctor, oncologist Dr. V. Laskin. For many years, Wolf Abramovich, like all doctors treated their patients with chemotherapy drugs and suffered great pain, when patients died. Unlike many of his colleagues he could not accept the thesis of cancer - is destiny "and wanted to invent his method does not treat, and cure of cancer. He read a lot, and somehow in his eyes came across an article Japanese Professor George Ozawa on the successful treatment of cancer patients and 100% grass diet based on brown rice. The idea seemed attractive, but brown rice then was not in Moscow, and Laskin decided to try the buckwheat.

Then ... Here begins a fantasy. Dr. Luskin came to a heavy cancer patients with packages buckwheat, and within 2-4 weeks, they tend to become walking, and then the disease retreated. Total explained more than 30 cases are cured of cancer, including breast cancer, prostate, colon, Hodgkin's disease, lymphosarcoma, skin tumors Mercele cancer, melanoma. Details of the patients and the technique of diet in the book:

1. VA Laskin. Cancer is defeated, a second birth. Moscow, Publishing House "Dynasty", 2006;
2. VI Dobkin. Anti-cancer diet Dr. Laskin. FIS, Golden library of health, 2006.

Which percentage of patients helps this diet?


Unfortunately, a large statistics to measure the effectiveness of diet, does not exist, and that's why. Of the 100 cancer patients, which Dr. Luskin offered its actually a Spartan diet, at best, only 3-5 agree to abide by "Buckwheat" diet. I remember the words of one patient: "I'd rather die with a pickle in his mouth, than I will every day and buckwheat. Despite the obvious improvement, the patient abruptly violation sewed diet and soon indeed died. The explanation of this behavior lies in the fact that for many people modern supervkusnaya food plays the same role as the alcohol for alcoholics. Modern pischegoliki used to draw pleasure from food, take with her stress. And without it, they fall into depression, and even fear of death from cancer did not stop them!

Is it possible to observe and buckwheat diet and maintain a good mood? It turns out you can. There is a special class of natural bioactive substances that enhance mood and brain activity without any harm to health. This so-called "smart biologically active additives, which increase in brain levels of hormones and neurotransmitters of happiness (serotonin, dopamine, endorphins, etc.), as well as sensitivity to them of nerve cells. As a result, increases the activity of specific brain centers - centers of satisfaction. "

What is the secret of the effectiveness of diet?


Sam Luskin explains the success of your diet so that buckwheat contains a record of all food content of special bioflavonoid quercetin - 8%! The main thing that makes quercetin - it restores the activity of "the broken" in cancer cells genar5Z or himself replaces its function. The gene p53 (gene suppressor of tumor cells) is one of the main regulators in the cell nucleus, regulating cell division. He was even called the "guardian of the genome of the cell. Unless the cell is trying to become the cancer journey, it genr53 cause or stop reproduction of abnormal cells, or their death (apoptosis). Unfortunately, genr53 - is the most frequently inaktiviruemy suppressor gene in human tumors. 50 - 60% of all human tumors are deprived of the normal allele of p53. (Allele - one of the possible forms of the same gene.)

These include brain tumors, lung, colorectal, breast. Gland, hematopoietic (hematopoietic - or hematopoietic stem cells.) System and the liver. Quercetin restores the function of p53 gene, thereby stopping the proliferation of tumor cells and causing their death. Although many products (hips, brown rice, broccoli, etc.) contain many of quercetin, the champion of its content is buckwheat. 100 grams of buckwheat contains 8 grams kvertsitina!

The secret wisdom of a diet doctor Laskin. The diet contains 300 grams of buckwheat and, accordingly, 24 gram of quercetin a day, but when you consider that the composition of the diet is more and hips, then, in fact, quercetin more. To estimate these figures, it suffices to recall that the typical American dietary supplement "Quercetin" contains a single bank 60 tablets of 0.5 grams, ie, only 30 grams of quercetin.

Thus, the buckwheat diet - a unique way to fill the body the cancer patient's precious quercetin, moreover, in a highly digestible form;

- It megadoznaya kvertsetinovaya therapy of cancer patients. But it turns out, this is not enough, as is only to break the buckwheat diet and use buckwheat as a side dish (such as a meat dish), as its effect disappears;

- On the other hand, even a huge number of tablets of quercetin taken with the usual meal, do not cure the cancer patient.

Thus, one might conclude that, mysteriously, it buckwheat diet allows manifest activity kvertsitina "(http://www.nmiff/ru/paradeigma/laskin/htm).

In the story I was most impressed that a terminally ill person had to be persuaded to comply with vital diet (for a short time - just something about 40 days). And although it was a choice between life and death, his passion to the familiar food was so strong (in Orthodoxy this is called gluttony) that he was willing rather to die from the disease than to change something in yourself:

- What to chew on this buckwheat, I'd rather die with a pickle in his mouth.

Of course, the reduced diet - not a panacea, but it is very valuable in that it teaches man to fight with him and for himself, determined to learn to defend their right to life. It can not hurt anyone, on the contrary, its "side effects" contribute to the clarification and strengthening of blood vessels.

So We see that if the patient refuses to include in the treatment of the most important component - spiritual (work on themselves) - can hardly expect good results. Only the combination of treatments, covering the entire body and all aspects of the patient's life: body, mind and soul - you can succeed!

One of the main conditions for the healing of a sick person: faith in God's mercy, an optimistic attitude towards life. With the help of God I have this disease - can handle!

Aloe Vera History

Most botanists agree, and historical evidence suggests, that the Aloe Vera plant originated in the warm, dry climates of Africa. However, because the plant is readily adaptable, and because man has been so eager to carry it with him from place to place, it now can be found in many warm lands. In the United States, it is grown commercially in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, in California and Florida, and in specially-designed greenhouses in Oklahoma.

Although Aloe Vera is a tropical plant, the root can survive freezing air temperatures, so long as the ground is not frozen and the root destroyed. (When this took place in the Rio Grande Valley in the winter of 1983-84, ninety-six percent of the local crop was lost.) The plant need not be destroyed for damage to occur. The leaves may be damaged and vital nutrients may be lost at air temperatures of forty degrees Fahrenheit. Such damage may be severe at thirty-five degrees. Conversely, the plant can grow at temperatures as great as 104 F. It will survive temperatures higher still, and can withstand even severe drought. Nonetheless, it will thrive in humid jungles, so long as the root itself does not stand in water and drown.

At present, Aloe Vera has little official standing in the medical community. In spite of the lack of official promotion, it is among the most widely used substances in the U.S. for the treatment of burns and bruises. Additionally, it is used in a plethora of cosmetics, and consumed as a healthful drink. While it has not yet won the full endorsement of the medical community, serious examination continues. This study is far more serious, with many greater implications than most people realize. In a later chapter, we will explore some of the serious medical research performed with Aloe Vera this century. For the moment, it may be taken as an indication of the serious nature of such a study that the FDA has approved development aimed at the eventual use of Aloe Vera in the treatment of cancer and AIDS! More and more, attention is turning to Aloe's unexamined possibilities as a powerful healing agent.

As we noted in the introduction--everything old is new again. The virtues of the plant have been recorded by many great civilizations, from those of Persia and Egypt in the Middle East, to those of Greece and Italy in Europe, to those of India and the African continent. The plant is widely known in Asia and the Pacific, and is found in the folklore of the Japanese, the Philippines and the Hawaiians. The Spanish used Aloe, and carried it with them to their new world colonies in South America and the Caribbean. Not that this considerable pedigree should call forth images of primitive peoples and their witch doctors. Among the plant's earliest champions were some of the great figures in the history of medicine and medical thought. One of its earliest proponents was the Greek physician Dioscorides. In each age, on each continent, in each culture, Aloe Vera has drawn the attention of the most sophisticated of minds.

It took early man thousands of years to develop what we know today as the modern understanding of plants, of what can and cannot be consumed, of what will heal and what will harm. It is important to remember that this is the common history of all our knowledge of the world. Most of our marketed medicines are distillations, combinations, reproductions or variations of substances found in nature. Some of these substances were recommended by our forefathers long before their value was demonstrated and understood by scientific method. We should dismiss none of our common heritage of knowledge without real thought and serious investigation. Any serious scientist would acknowledge that the exploration of our world is far from complete.

One of the earliest books on the subject of natural medicine (the only kind known at the time) was the Rig Vede, compiled in India sometime between B.C.E. 4500 and B.C.E. 1600. While it lists hundreds of plants deemed useful in medicine and is the logical starting point for any discussion of alternative medicine, it does not specifically mention Aloe vera. Many believe that a Sumerian clay tablet, found in the city of Nippur, written around B.C.E. 2200, was the first document to include Aloe Vera among plants of great healing power. The first detailed discussion of Aloe's medicinal value is probably that which is found in the Papyrus ebers, an Egyptian document written around B.C.E. 1550. This document gives twelve formulas for mixing Aloe with other agents to treat both internal and external human disorders. The first milestone in Western man's detailed understanding of medicinal plants is the work of Hippocrites (460B.C.- 375B.C.), the father of modern medicine (doctors today still take the Hippocratic Oath). His Material Medica makes no direct mention of Aloe, but during that same period, the plant, according to Copra's Indigenous Drugs of India, had come into widespread use. Interestingly, Copra writes, "The use of Aloes, the common musabbar, for external application to inflamed painful parts of the body and for causing purgation [internal cleansing] are too well known in India to need any special mention."

In Greek pharmacology, the plant was first mentioned by Celsius (B.C. 25-50 A.D.), but his comments were limited to its power as a purgative. The first Western benchmark in man's understanding of Aloe is the Greek herbal of Dioscorides (41 A.D.-68 A.D.). This master of Roman pharmacology developed his knowledge and skill as he traveled with that great empire's armies. Dioscorides gave the first detailed description of the plant we call Aloe Vera, and attributed to its juices "the power of binding, of inducing sleep." He noted as well that it "loosens the belly, cleansing the stomach." He further added that this "bitter" Aloe (the sap) was a treatment for boils; that it eased hemorrhoids; that it aided in healing bruises; that it was good for the tonsils, the gums, and all general mouth irritations; and that it worked as a medicine for the eyes. Dioscorides further observed that the whole leaf, when pulverized, could stop the bleeding of many wounds.

ALOE FACTS AND FICTION

Chronology of References - Ancient To Present Day
Spencer, the English poet wrote:

"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all argument and cannot help but keep man in everlasting ignorance, which is condemnation without investigation."

This is the principle which has been applied to Aloe Vera by modern medicine, in the United States!
(AMMM refers to "Aloe Myth-Magic Medicine" Universal Graphics, 1989)

2200 B.C. AMMM PG 10

Sumerian clay tablets found in the city of Nippur. Whole leaf Aloe used as a laxative agent no other uses are mentioned.

1550 B.C. AMMM PG 10

Egyptian "Papyrus Ebers". Whole leaf ground up and mixed with other medical agents - product boiled. 12 formulas used for healing both internally and externally.

400 B.C. AMMM PG 10 & 158-161

Aloe plant and processed product exported to Asia. Whole leaf or sap boiled down for domestic use and exported. Traded extensively by Arabs throughout western Asia. Plant grown and used in India (a practice which continues today) as a healing agent both internally and externally. List of uses to extensive, to include here. (Note: See Aloe Vera A-Z)

50 B.C. AMMM PG 10

Celsius, Greek physician. Aloe introduced into western medicine. Sap used as a laxative no other usage mentioned.

41-68 A.D. AMMM PG 10-11

"Greek Herbal" of Dioscorides. First detailed description of the plant we call Aloe vera. Notes that the sap, not the gel is the healing agent. States that the sap is collected and boiled down into a thick black mass for storage and transportation. Notes that the more bitter the Aloe the more effective it is as a healing agent. Induces sleep, cleanses the stomach, treatment for boils, ulcerated genitals, heals foreskin, good for dry itchy skin irritation, hemorrhoids, bruises, stops hair loss, mouth pain, and stops bleeding of wounds, heals tonsillitis and diseases of the mouth and eyes.

23-79 A.D. AMMM PG 11-12 & 38-39

Pliny the Elder, a Roman physician, generally repeats the findings of Dioscorides. Adds that the juice checks perspiration and the boiled root heals leprous sores. States that fake Aloe was being made and sold near Jerusalem, he calls it the "bastard kind".

200 A.D. AMMM PG 12

Aloe had become an important part of Roman medicine. Used by physicians such as Galen, Antyllus, Aretaces, and many other southern European physicians. Used as described by Dioscorides and Pliny, with some additions.

700-800 A.D. AMMM PG 12

Chinese "Materia Medicas", first use of Aloe in China. Chinese referred to plant as Lu-hui, meaning "black deposit," or "Hsiang-tqan" referring to the bitter taste of Aloe. Notes Aloe's value as a sinus treatment and treatment of fever and convulsions in children. Also re-confirmed use as a treatment for skin diseases. Whole leaf ground and boiled down.

900 A.D. AMMM PG 12-13

AL-Kindi, Arab philosopher, engineer, and physician. States that Aloe is an effective treatment for inflammatory pain, eye ulcers, melancholy, and other medical problems. He adds that Aloe is used in Iran as a purgative, and in Egypt as a detersive to clean the digestive system and detoxify the entire body. Method of processing not mentioned.

1000-1300 A.D. AMMM PG 12

Dried sap and plant becomes a widely accepted healing agent throughout Europe.

1300-1500 A.D. AMMM PG 12

Processed Aloe (dried sap) introduced to English medicine. Used throughout British Isles as a purgative and as a treatment for external wounds and diseases. Dried sap imported from Africa mainly from the islands of Socotra.

1500-1600 A.D. AMMM PG 26-27

Plant brought to new world by Spanish conquistadors and missionaries. Planted around Catholic missions and used extensively by missionaries and native population as a universal healing agent throughout Caribbean Islands, Central and South America.

1600-1700 A.D. AMMM PG 26-28

Plant developed as a commercial crop throughout Caribbean by Spanish, particularly the island of Barbados, and the Dutch planters, mainly on the island of Curacao. Sap extracted from plant and boiled down into a black mass for export, mainly to Europe.

1700-1900 A.D. AMMM PG 62-63

Name Aloe Vera first used to describe plant by Carl Von Linne in 1720. Scientific name given, Aloe Vera Linne, also refered to today as, Aloe Barbadensis Miller. Hundreds of papers and references published by physicians and laymen world-wide describing Aloe's many uses as a healing agent. Aloe officially listed as a purgative and a skin protectant by the United States pharmacopoeia (U.S.P.) 1820.

1900 A.D. AMMM PG 28-36

Plant grown in warm regions world wide for its healing benefits, and as a commercial source of sap or purified Aloin. Fresh or dehydrated whole leaf sold as a treatment for radiation injuries; including ulcers, burns, dermatitis, and other skin injuries and diseases. Colonel H. W. Johnston, first commercial U.S. Aloe Vera farm, established in Florida 1912.

1934 A.D. AMMM PG 85-87

First modern medical paper published in the United States, C.E. Collins. Paper describes use of whole Aloe leaf to heal radiation dermatitis on the forehead of a 31 year old female. Aloe healed dermatitis in approximately 3 months, skin returned to normal with little or no scarring and normal skin color. Collins and son report on the use of Aloe on fifty patients with radiation injuries, burns, ulcers, and dermatitis, paper states all fifty patients successfully healed. Used Aloe Vera leaf split in half or ointment made from combination of sap and gel. Ointment was described as having a yellow color and an offensive odor.

1936-1939 A.D. AMMM PG 32 & 87-90

Dr. Carroll S. Wright, M.D., Philadelphia, Adolph B. Loveman, M.D., Louisville, KY, Archie Fine, M.D., Cincinnati, OH, Samuel Brown, M.D., Cincinnati, OH, Dr. Frederick B. Mandeville, M.D., Richmond VA. All above used Aloe Vera leaf as described by Dr. Collins, with a few additional applications, all reports that Aloe heals radiation burns, ulcers, and dermatitis.

1940-1941 A.D. AMMM PG 32-33 & 91

T. Rowe, B.K. Lovell, and Lloyd M. Parks, note that Aloe heals burns much faster than any other treatment available. Leaf does not need to be fresh to be effective. Healing agent is found in the sap and skin - not in the gel. Rowe states that product was heated to a high temperature (boiled) with no loss of healing effects. Researchers report that they found free Aloe mannose in test samples. (Note: First researchers to report finding Aloe mannose)

1945 A.D. AMMM PG 91

V. P. Filatov Russia, reported that boiled Aloe juice was a very effective treatment of a skin disease caused by parasites. Adds that drinking Aloe juice is an effective treatment for many types of lung disorders.

1947 A.D. AMMM PG 91-92

T.C. Barnes, Hahneunan Medical College and Hospital of Philadelphia, PA. Aloe Vera heals skin injuries at least one-third faster than any other treatment.

1950 A.D. AMMM PG 33 & 36 & 107

R.Y. Gottschall, stated that the sap from the Aloe Vera leaf is the healing agent. Experiment

proved that boiled sap kills Tubercle Bacilli (Tuberculosis).

1953 A.D. AMMM PG 33-34 & 92

C.C. Lushbaugh,

M.D., and D.B. Hale, B.S., performed studies for U.S. atomic commission. Aloe Vera heals radiation dermatitis and ulcers in test animals at least fifty percent faster than other treatments.

1956-1957 A.D. AMMM PG 92-93

N. Nordvinov and B. Rostotsky, Russia, stated Aloe prevents radiation burns. Reduces time for healing from 30-45 days to 15-16 days in 2nd and 3rd degree radiation and fire burns, frostbite, cuts, blisters, etc. Greatly improves skin texture, eliminates dryness, itching, eczema, psoriasis, neurodermititis, and other skin diseases including cancer.

1956-1957 A.D. AMMM PG 93-94

S. Levenson and K. Somova, Russia, used Aloe extract (sap) for the treatment of periodontal disease. 150 patients were treated by injecting extract at the site of each affected tooth. Treatment completely eliminated periodontal disease in most if not all patients. Research concluded that Aloe is a biogenic stimulator.

1959 A.D. AMMM PG 77-83

Gunnar Gjerstad and T.D. Riner, reviewed data submitted by E.P. Pendergrass. They stated that FDA admitted Aloe ointment regenerated skin cells, it eliminated scarring and promotes regeneration of natural skin color, and does so without toxicity. According to this paper, Pendergrass gave credit to traumatic acid for the ability to regenerate skin cells. Merks index lists traumatic acid as a wound healing hormone.

1963 A.D. AMMM PG 95

Julian J. Blitz, D.O., James W. Smith, D.O., and Jack R. Gerard, D.O. Aloe vera emulsion (sap and gel mixed with mineral oil) was used to treat 18 patients with peptic ulcers. All patients had been treated with long term conventional therapy with little or no benefit. Each patient was given a daily dose of Aloe Vera emulsion orally. Researchers reported that 17 of the 18 patients completely recovered from all symptoms of peptic ulcers. Patient 18 left study after 1 dose, no follow up.

1969 A.D. AMMM PG 78 & 100-103

Dr. Eugene Zimmerman, and the Baylor College of Dentistry. Performed an extensive study on the use of Aloe Vera as a treatment for dental-related disorders and its ability to kill or control various organisms including: Staphylococcus Aureus, Streptococcus Viridaus, Candida Albicans, Corynebacterium Xerosis, and the five strains of Streptococcus Mutant. Researchers conclude that Aloe is a very powerful anti-inflammatory and it kills a broad spectrum of micro-organisms.

1973 A.D. AMMM PG 35 & 95-96

M. El Zawahry, M.D, M. Rashad Hegazy, M.D, M. Helal, B.Ph., Ph.Ch., Cairo, Egypt. Researchers used Aloe Vera (combination of sap and gel) to treat, seborrhea, acne, alopecia, chronic leg ulcers, vulgaris, and hair loss. They said that Aloe was highly effective against all the above skin problems.

1975 A.D. AMMM PG 99-100

Robert B. Northway, D.V.M, reported that the plant was effective on ringworm, skin allergies, abscess, hot spots, fungal infections, dermatitis, lacerations, and inflamed cyst, in animals.

1978 A.D. AMMM PG 70

Dr. G.R. Waller, Oklahoma State University, reported that Aloe contains a broad spectrum of free amino acids, free monosaccharides, and total saccharides released upon hydrolysis, sterols (mainly B-sitosterol) plus lupeol. Note: B-sitosterol is a powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-cholesterolmatic. Lupeol is a powerful pain killer and anti-microbial. The report adds that these active ingredients were found in the oil of the plant (skin or sap portion of the leaf).

1980 A.D. AMMM PG 78 (see pictures and text pg 145) PG 100-103

Dr. Bill Wolfe D.D.S., P.A., Albuquerque, NM. Repeated work done in 1969 and once again showed Aloe highly effective against Staphylococcus Aureus, Streptococcus Viridaus, Candida Albicans, Corynebacterium Xerosis, and the five strains of Streptococcus Mutant, and that it is non-toxic. Quickly relieves pain, eliminates soreness, irritation, swelling, and is a very effective treatment for herpes.

1980 A.D. AMMM PG 104-106

John Heggars, M.D., Chicago Burn Center. Demonstrated the ability of the Aloe Vera to heal third degree burns and frost bite up to six times faster than accepted modern medical treatment. Dr. Heggars concluded that healing effects were due to steroidal like compounds, (acts like cortisone), and salicylic acid. He further stated that Aloe treatment eliminated scarring; normal skin color returned and unbelievably the Aloe completely regenerated the hair follicles, and allowed for regrowth of hair in burned area. Said Aloe was more effective in preventing and controlling infections than Silver Sulfadiazine.

1982 A.D. AMMM PG 70 , 104-105

John Heggers, University of Chicago Burn Center, reconfirmed the presence of salicylic acid in Aloe. This is an aspirin-like compound, which explains why Aloe helps control pain. It is also a powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial agent.

1983 A.D. AMMM PG 51-58, 72-75

The National Aloe Science Council (NASC), reported to the FDA that it had developed a standard chemical fingerprint for Aloe Vera. Provided fingerprint and petitioned FDA to set U.S. standards for Aloe juice drink, Aloe Gel, and other topical products which claim to contain Aloe juice or Gel. NASC standard rejected by FDA.

1985 A.D. AMMM PG 78-79

Jeffrey Bland, Ph.D., Linus Pauling Institute. Drinking Aloe vera juice improves protein digestion, helps normalize bowel habit, control yeast infections, promotes proper balance of digestive bacteria, relieves indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, acid stomach, and concluded that Aloe juice has no toxic effects.

1987 A.D. AMMM PG 106-107

Dr. Rosalie Burns, M.D. Describes the disease commonly known as shingles (Herpes Zoster). She points out that shingles is caused by the same virus that also causes chicken pox and common herpes. Stated that sap from the leaves of the Aloe Vera plant is remedy for pain and speeds healing when spread over the blisters.

1987 A.D. AMMM PG 108-111

Dr. H. Reg McDaniel Dallas, TX. Stated "Aloe extract may mimic AZT without toxicity." Research shows Aloe Vera stopped progress of AIDS. Reports corresponding drop in antibodies to HIV and the number of free virus in blood samples. McDaniel further concluded that the Aloe would control or kill many other retro viruses, including the viruses that cause the common cold, measles, mumps, chicken pox, flu, and other viral diseases.

1988 A.D. AMMM PG 109-111

Dr. Terry Pulse Dallas, TX., stated that 20oz of whole leaf Aloe vera juice was orally administered to 69 AIDS patients daily. Symptoms disappear almost completely in 81 per cent of the patients. Patients with the AIDS virus who showed no symptoms of the disease remain free of symptoms.

ALOE VERA UPDATE:

INFORMATION NOT INCLUDED IN "ALOE MYTH-MAGIC MEDICINE" -

2ND ADDITION

1967

Dr. A Farkas and Robert A. Mayer M.D,. filed for and received U.S. patent on Aloe Polyuronide. Their patent application proposed that this was the active healing agent in various species of the Aloe plant, including Aloe barbadensis Miller. (Note: This substance is a complex compound which contains four separate mannose compounds, similar to those described by Carrington Laboratories)

1984

Dr. O.P. Agarwal, M.D., F.I.C.A, Uttar Pradesh, India. Recorded that Aloe had virtually eliminated heart disease, stress related disorders, and diabetes in over 4700 of the 5000 patients, which were followed for five years. All patients were instructed to take approximately 4oz. of fresh Aloe vera plant and 3/4oz of the husk of isabgol and mix it with wheat flour to make a loaf of bread. Treatment consisted of eating one loaf of Aloe bread per day.

1986

Doctors of Department of Medicine, King Saud University, audi Arabia, stated that the dried sap of the Aloe plant is used in the Arabian peninsula for its ability to lower the blood glucose in diabetic patients. Paper concludes that Aloes contain a hypoglycemic agent which lowers the blood glucose.

1989

Researchers from Okinawa, Japan reported in the Japanese Journal of Cancer Research, that Aloe contained at least three anti-tumor agents, emodin, mannose, and lectin. The researchers concluded that Aloe controls pulmonary carcinogenesis and is effective in the treatment of leukemia and sarcoma and that it would prevent the development of tumors.

1989

According to the Cosmetic, Fragrance, and Toiletry Association (CTFA), Aloe is by far the most popular cosmetic and toiletry ingredient in the United States. Named as number one by over thirty three percent of a cross section of consumers.

1990

The following DVM and PhD's presented a paper in Brussels Belgium, in April 1990, Jasbir B. Kohlon, Maurice C. Kemp, Ni Yawei, Robert H. Carpenter, William M. Shannon, and Bill H. McAnalley. Research concluded that Aloe, or a substance extracted from it, is a very effective treatment against HIV-1 and other strains of the virus which causes AIDS. Research confirms that daily ingestion (20 oz. or more) can act as a immunization against the HIV infection. In HIV positive or AIDS patients, Aloe: (1.) keeps infected T-4 cells from reproducing the virus, (2.) either kills free virus in the blood or it stimulates the individual's immune system to kill the virus or both, (3.) it stops the disease AIDS from developing in HIV positive patients and can completely reverse the disease in those with AIDS, and (4.) some patients become Syro-negative. (The virus or antibody to the virus can no longer be found in the blood.)

1991

Ian R. Tizard, PhD, of Texas A&M, reported in the Journal of Molecular Biotherapy, that Aloe mannose was highly effective against feline leukemia and soft tissue cancer in cats and dogs.

1992

Dr. James Duke, United States Department of Agriculture, approved the use of Aloe mannose as a treatment of soft tissue cancer in animals and feline leukemia.

1994

United States Food and Drug Administration approves Aloe for human testing against the human immune-deficiency virus (HIV), the virus which causes AIDS. M.D. Anderson, Cancer Center, study suggests that Aloe can stop immune system damage caused by sunburn. According to the International Aloe Science Council (IASC), most major bands of cosmetic and toiletries contain less than two percent Aloe. Most experts agree that a concentration of 25 to 40% is necessary for a cosmetic product to have any benefits. Dr. Wendell Winters, University of Texas Health Science Center, at San Antonio, reported Aloe contains at least 140 substances. Substances which control cell growth and division, reduce inflammation, stimulates the growth of white cells and other immune-function cells, wound healer and infection fighter. Winters calls Aloe "a pharmacy in a plant."

Current

There are no test procedures which can be used to absolutely identify the presence of Aloe in a health drink or in a cosmetic product, much less its concentration. Latest of these tests, including those developed by International Aloe Science Council, can be easily manipulated to produce false test results. Aloe industry is virtually unregulated and no government agency has taken any action to eliminate bad Aloe products from the market. Chemical testing of the plant has repeatedly shown that the plants healing agents are produced in the green skin and yellow sap, not in the gel (colorless and tasteless jelly like center portion of the leaf). Most experts agree that no single agent is responsible for the plants ability to heal, and therefore the most effective products are made from the whole leaf.

Many Aloe companies continue to promote the following false ideas:

1. Aloe gel contains the plant's healing agents. FALSE

This idea is most often based on the erroneous idea that Collins & Collins in 1935 used the gel alone, when in fact, they used a combination of the sap and gel.

2. Aloe mannose is responsible for the plants ability to heal. FALSE

This idea is dismissed by the results achieved through the use of whole leaf Aloe. Experimental use of whole leaf Aloe has shown that it is up to six times more effective than Aloe mannose alone.

3. Aloe must be "cold processed", heat destroys its active ingredients and therefore its ability to heal. FALSE

Cold processed Aloe has great sales appeal, but it is not supported by facts. In antiquity the sap (yellow juice that drips from the leaf when is cut or broken) or the whole leaf was ground up and boiled or cooked to preserve its value. Thousands of modern researchers agree that the juice must be pasteurized or even boiled (212 degrees F) to preserve its value. In addition to these facts chemical reference books, including Mercks Index and the CRC, state that the polysaccharides, glycoproteins, and the plants other active ingredients have breakdown temperatures which occur well above the boiling point of water. The polysaccharides, for example, do not even begin to break down until exposed to temperatures above 230 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. Aloe vera juice can look and tastes like water. FALSE

Note: Raw whole leaf Aloe vera juice has a yellow color and a bitter taste. In the early 70's processors discovered that carbon filtration eliminates Aloe's yellow color and lessons its bitter taste. Unfortunately they have failed to mention that carbon filtration; strips the plant of its nutritional value by removing vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, fatty acids, etc.; greatly reduces Aloes healing effects because it removes almost all of the plants healing agents, with the exception of Aloe mannose and lectins. The agents removed include: Aloin, emodin, B-sitosterol, and the plants other anti-inflammatory plant sterols, salicylic acid, cinnamonic acid, phenols, sulfur, urea nitrogen, lupeol, and other hydrochlorides. While carbon filtered Aloe looks like water it does not taste like it. Some processors have used the fact that carbon filtered Aloe looks like water to sell the public water - yes, water.

Remember .... "If it looks and taste like water - it probably is water. "

5. Concentrating Aloe vera juice destroys its active ingredients. FALSE

All ancient references which mention processing state, that Aloe must be concentrated to preserve its medical value. This was done by boiling it in a pot or drying it in the sun. Modern research has shown that concentrated Aloe juice is highly effective, and that it may be much more effective in many cases, especially wounds and diseases.

6. Diluting Aloe with water or mixing it with other liquids destroys its active ingredients. FALSE

Throughout history Aloe has been commonly mixed with water, milk, wine, honey, and many other natural and synthetic substances, to make it easier to use and more palatable, with no loss of effectiveness.

7. The plant's enzymes or other common nutrients are responsible for the plant's ability to heal. FALSE

Aloes common nutrients are no different then those found in other vegetables. If these common nutrients were responsible for its ability to heal, then all vegetables would have the ability to heal in a like manner, which is not the case.

8. Aloe vera gel was used historically as a healing agent. FALSE

All ancient references refer to the sap or whole leaf as the product of choice, the gel itself is not mentioned. All successful modern studies use a combination of the sap and gel, or the whole leaf.

CONCLUSION

Why Aloe Works!

It could be said that it works because the Aloe Vera plant produces at least 6 antiseptic agents: Lupeol, salicylic acid, urea nitrogen, cinnamonic acid, phenols, and sulphur. All of these substances are recognized as antiseptics because they kill or control mold, bacteria, fungus, and viruses, explaining why the plant has the ability to eliminate many internal and external infections. The Lupeol and salicylic acid in the juice explains why it is a very effective pain-killer.

Next, it could be said that Aloe Vera contains at least three anti-inflammatory fatty acids, cholesterol, campersterol and B-sitosterol (plant sterols) which explains why it is a highly effective treatment for burns, cuts, scrapes, abrasions, allergic reactions, rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatic fever, acid indigestion, ulcers, plus many inflammatory conditions of the digestive system and other internal organs, including the stomach, small intestine, colon, liver, kidney, and pancreas. B-sitosterol is also a powerful anti-cholestromatic which helps to lower harmful cholesterol levels, helping to explain its many benefits for heart patents.

If we add that Aloe contains at least 23 polypeptids (immune stimulators), then we understand why Aloe juice helps control a broad spectrum of immune system diseases and disorders, including HIV and AIDS. The polypeptids, plus the anti-tumor agents Aloe emodin and Aloe lectins, explains its ability to control cancer.

If the SYNERGISTIC RELATIONSHIP between the elements found in the sap, gel, and throughout the entire plant does not explain why whole leaf Aloe works, then NOTHING DOES! All of which explains why "Across Time" lay persons and physicians alike, have proclaimed that Aloe has the ability to heal, alleviate, eliminate, or even cure a monumental list of human diseases and disorders. Therefore it truly deserves the name, "Medicine Plant

Aloe Vera Myth or Medicine?

by Dr Peter Atherton M.B.Ch.B., D.Obst. R.C.O.G., M.R.C.G.P.

About the Author

Dr Peter Atherton is currently a research Fellow at Oxford University studying the medicinal effects of Aloe Vera.

Start of article:

It was about three years ago, whilst I was a full time General Practitioner, a job that I had been doing both at home and abroad for twenty eight years, that I came across Aloe Vera.

I had vaguely heard of it as an addition to various cosmetic products, but I was completely ignorant of its origin and unconcerned about its actions. I was certainly unaware of its fabled medicinal properties and as a strictly conventional physician I had no interest in any form of complementary or alternative medicine. In fact, I was almost dismissive of claims made by alternative practitioners and felt they largely achieved their 'cures' by way of a placebo effect. So I left it to others to indulge in acupuncture and applied kinesiology – what was that anyway?

Should anyone have told me that within three years of my meeting with a mother, whose son's eczema had totally cleared with an Aloe Vera and Bee Propolis cream, that I would be researching its medicinal uses full time, I would have laughed. But it happened. That meeting was to totally change my medical perspective and in fact to change my life.

At first I couldn't accept that Aloe Vera combined with Bee Propolis (the sticky resinous substance collected from various tree barks and buds by bees with which they line their hives creating a sterile environment) could suppress this atopic or juvenile eczema, where all my moisturisers and steroid creams had not. It was even more upsetting because my special interest in Medicine was dermatology and I thought I knew a bit about it. What was in this stuff? Why did it work? I was already sure it wasn't a placebo effect so my search for a scientific explanation began.

Aloe Vera plant

I began this search by reading everything I could about the plant's history, for by now I at least realised that it was a succulent (Liliaciae Sub species aloinae), a member of the lily and onion family, also related to garlic and asparagus, of which there are more than three hundred varieties but of which only a few had medicinal properties. It is generally accepted that the most potent was Aloe Vera Barbadensis Miller.

The name Aloe Vera or True Aloe probably stems from the Arabic word Alloeh meaning "Shining bitter substance". We still refer to "bitter aloes" describing the laxative drug still listed in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia today. This drug was made from the sap of the plant found under the hard green rind. It contains mainly aloin, chemically an anthraquinone, which has been known since ancient times to possess very powerful purgative action if used neat. Bearing in mind that severe constipation was a very serious problem in those days, it is not surprising that this extract of Aloe Vera was highly prized just for this action.

I discovered that Aloe Vera has been used by mankind for several thousand years and over the centuries there have been many references to Aloe Vera in many cultures: from the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, as well as in the literature of the Indian and Chinese peoples. Several famous physicians such as Pliny the Elder, Dioscorides and Galen, the father of modern medicine, who first described how the circulation worked, all used Aloe Vera as part of their therapeutic armoury.

There are also many romantic tales about it, suggesting that the Egyptian queens Nerfertiti and Cleopatra used it as part of their regular beauty regimes. Supposedly Alexander the Great in 333 B.C. was persuaded by his mentor Aristotle to capture the Island of Socotra in the Indian Ocean for its famed Aloe supplies, needed to treat his wounded soldiers. Aloe is also mentioned in the Bible several times, for example, in St. John's Gospel, but this was in fact, Lignin Aloe, not Aloe Vera. Lignin Aloe is a tree whose scented bark was used for incense as well as an ingredient used in embalming the dead.

The true Aloe has been endowed with such marvellous properties that over the years around the world it has been given many wonderful names such as Burn Plant, Medicine Plant, Wand of Heaven and Plant of Life.

The first reference to Aloe Vera in English was a translation by John Goodyew in A.D. 1655 of Dioscorides' Medical treatise De materia Medica which he wrote in AD 70-90.

Traders first brought Aloe Vera to London in 1693 and by 1843 considerable amounts were being imported to be made up into medicines. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries it remained one of the main popular prescribed and over-the-counter medicines.

Whilst discovering the fascinating history of Aloe Vera I was also experimenting with some Aloe products on myself and my family, and getting some remarkable results. Aloe Vera can be drunk as a nutritional health drink or tonic or it can be applied topically to the skin and scalp as creams and lotions.

Like most natural remedies, Aloe works best when used fresh from the plant but it oxidises rapidly when cut and exposed to the air. Unfortunately, it will only grow in warm, fertile areas and its main enemy is frost, so here it must be grown indoors. If one has access to a mature plant then the best way is to cut a leaf off it, fillet out the inner leaf gel and use it directly, but for most of us it is necessary to buy a preserved product. I think the product should remain as near to the natural plant as possible to achieve the correct balance of ingredients and be interfered with as little as possible, so I do not favour products that have either been heat treated, filtered, concentrated or powdered.

When using it at home I saw the phenomenal effect it had as a first aid burn treatment – my wife often burns her hands on the Aga oven because the glove is never where it should be. She was very skeptical at first, but was truly amazed by the rapid pain relief, the speed of healing and the healing without a scar. She never even attempts to find the glove now!! No wonder it is called the burn plant!

I had also discovered that the first really scientific research into Aloe Vera was carried out in the 1930s and 1940s into its effect on X-Ray burns.(1-9)

I started drinking the gel daily and after about ten days noticed that chronic catarrh, a legacy of smoking for 20 years, had cleared up and more importantly I just generally felt much better.

Reassured by experience and my reading which confirmed Aloe Vera as a tried, tested, extremely safe and non toxic remedy, I was prepared to try it out on some selected patients in my practice.

My investigation at that time had shown that Aloe Vera seemed to work in two definite areas, firstly on damaged epithelial tissue and secondly on the immune system. An epithelium is an anatomical term that is defined as "a layer of cells that covers the surface of the body or lines a cavity that connects with it".

So the skin, the largest of our body organs, is the largest epithelial tissue. It connects through the mouth with the lining of the gastro-intestinal tract as well as the lining of the nose and sinuses, the lining of the lungs and the genital tract. It is not surprising, therefore, that Aloe Vera will speed up the healing of a burn or some damaged eczematous skin just as well as it will heal a mouth ulcer or even a stomach ulcer or a problem of the bowel lining – all epithelial tissue. It is certainly not a panacea for all ills as, unfortunately, some people suggest. This action on surfaces and membranes rather than on solid organs defines its uses, and where it is appropriate its effect is often dramatic.

Conditions which are caused by a disordered immune system such as asthma and some forms of arthritis also seem to benefit from Aloe Vera. Good results are even reported by sufferers from that ill understood condition M.E. (Myalgic encephalo- myelitis) or Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome. Evidence for improvement in this syndrome is purely anecdotal but recently an equine vet, Peter Green, carried out a trial and showed that Aloe Vera had a remarkable effect in horses suffering from a similar post viral debility. He got a tremendous response and actually was able to demonstrate that the white blood cell count, which is lowered by the illness to almost fatal levels, had returned to normal after Aloe Vera treatment. Unfortunately, there is no similar way of measuring the effect in humans as there is no demonstrable change in the blood picture.

In the U.S., Carrington Laboratories have isolated one of the sugars from Aloe Vera, a long chain polysaccharide which is being trialed with AIDS patients. It has been shown in laboratory testing to be an immunomodulator, i.e. it can both enhance the immune response – very beneficial to AIDS sufferers whose response is very poor; but it would also seem to be able to slow down or retard the response where it is too much. A common example of such a response would be in hayfever, where there is an over-reaction to grass pollens. Carrington Laboratories' product "Carrisyn" is already licensed for the treatment of a viral illness in cats, a form of feline leukaemia. The continuing development of this drug for human use is very exciting.

The response of the immune system to attack by either bacteria, viruses or cancer cells is extremely complex, but part of it involves a system of messenger substances such as the interleukins and tumour necrosis factor called Cytokines. Cytokines activate cells such as neutrophils and lymphocytes to attack their targets. The attack may take the form of antibody production of direct engulfment by the cell – phagocytosis. By orchestrating the response the cytokine system can both enhance and retard activity, hence the polysaccharides in Aloe Vera which affect this system are referred to as immunomodulators.

In order to understand the various ways in which Aloe Vera may work it is necessary to look at the constituents of the plant. There are over 75 known ingredients and they are all contained in about 1% of the plant, the rest being water, so they are obviously present only in small amounts. Their disproportionate action is thought to arise from the synergistic effect of these substances, i.e. they can be likened to working together as a team so that the total effect is greater than would be expected from the combined individual effect of each substance.

When deciding which patients to select for a small pilot study of Aloe Vera in my own practice, my criteria were that a) they either had a disorder of an epithelial tissue, such as a skin problem, or b) an immune problem such as rheumatoid arthritis. I chose patients with chronic conditions that had not responded well to conventional therapy. At my suggestion most were keen to try it, and overall I was immensely impressed to find that I achieved roughly a 70% success rate across the board. Given that I was dealing with some of my most difficult cases I was tremendously encouraged.

With the skin conditions I got my best results on atopic or juvenile eczema and confirmed what I had been told by the mother who first introduced me to it. The Aloe Propolis cream produced both a moisturising, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial response. This resulted in softer, less itchy skin and reduced infection. It is infection that usually causes these children's eczema to flare up so I think the addition of bee propolis, a sort of natural antibiotic, is most useful.

Two patients with chronically itchy skin (urticaria) settled down and several adult patients with acne rosacea where the facial skin is constantly red with pustule formation, also noticed a marked improvement with a reduction in their high colour by applying an Aloe Vera gel preparation twice a day. One particular elderly lady in her eighties who developed a traumatic ulcer on her skin was delighted to see it healing virtually on a daily basis over a few weeks, and once healed it was impossible to see where it had been as there was no scarring, a regular feature of Aloe Vera treatment.

Many patients, after treatment with aloe for various skin problems, commented that their skin quality had improved and felt softer and smoother This is not surprising as Aloe Vera has been added to many cosmetic products for many years because of its known rejuvenating action.

It achieves this in several different ways. Firstly the polysaccharides act as moisturisers, hydrating the skin. Secondly, aloe is absorbed into the skin and stimulates the fibroblasts to replicate themselves faster(10,11) and it is these cells that produce the collagen and elastin fibres, so the skin becomes more elastic and less wrinkled. Aloe also makes the surface of the skin smoother because of its cohesive effect on the superficial flaking epidermal cells by sticking them together. It also possesses the ability to interfere with the enzyme that produces melanin deposits in the skin, preventing the formation of 'liver spots' which tend to form in ageing skin. If Aloe Vera is applied regularly and for long enough it will often cause established spots to disappear.

The best demonstration of this effect that I have ever seen, was shown by Dr. Ivan Danhof, an American physician who has worked with topical aloe products in the cosmetic industry for 30 years. When testing new creams and lotions, being right handed, he always applied the material with the fingers of his right hand to the back of his left hand in order to test its texture, smell and penetrability. He now declares that he has one old hand and one young hand and indeed the comparison when he puts his hands together to show the backs, side by side, is quite remarkable.

One hand is the typical hand of a seventy year old with thinning, wrinkled skin covered in a variety of blemishes, whilst the other, his left hand, is clear and smooth and looks 30 years younger.

Although there is anecdotal evidence to suggest that Aloe Vera helps inflammatory conditions of the gastro intestinal tract such as gastritis, diverticulitis and colitis there is no firm evidence to support this. One paper has looked at Aloe Vera in the treatment of peptic ulcers with good results(12) and one paper by Dr. Jeffrey Bland(13) of the Linus Pauling Institute of Science and Medicine in California studied the results of Aloe Vera on the gastro intestinal tract of normal people.

He found that Aloe Vera had several measurable effects. There was a faster movement of food through the bowel with better protein digestion and absorption, an increase in water in the stool made it bulkier, and a normalisation of stool bacteria, where there had previously been high levels of yeasts in some of the subjects. As a result of these findings I decided to look at the effect of Aloe on the Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). This is an extremely common condition affecting probably more than five million people in the U.K. It is the commonest condition seen by the Gastro-enterologists in hospital clinics; yet most people do not even consult their doctor.

The IBS is complex in its make up, and it is acknowledged that there is usually both a physical and a psychological component, resulting from stress. It is called a functional bowel disorder because if the bowel is examined it appears to be perfectly normal in every respect. There is no known cause and no uniformly effective conventional medical treatment. However, it can be extremely debilitating to the sufferers who complain of abdominal pain and bloating or intermittent diarrhoea, sometimes alternating with constipation. Occasionally there is passage of mucous.

The physical disorder is thought to be a dysmotility or alteration in the normal smooth peristaltic movement of the bowel and so it seemed a good subject for Aloe Vera. As I hoped, regular consumption of Aloe Vera gel worked well in the majority of patients who tried it. One female patient was so pleased with her newly controlled bowel that she said "I can go shopping now with confidence – it's great". It is now my first line treatment for IBS.

Unfortunately, in all cases where Aloe Vera suppresses symptoms they return after a few days if the drink is stopped, so taking Aloe Vera in no way results in a permanent cure.

When looking at disorders of the immune system I selected some patients with arthritis, some with asthma and some with M.E. (Post Viral Syndrome). Only about 40-50% of the M.E. patients benefited from drinking the Aloe Vera, but I got a much better response from the arthritis and asthma sufferers.

People with Arthritis, under the influence of Aloe Vera, were able to reduce the number of anti-inflammatory and pain killing tablets to a level where they ceased to get the usual side effects of abdominal pain and indigestion, whereas the asthmatics were able to cut down on their usage of inhalers, including the steroid inhalers. These effects were probably due to Aloe Vera's innate anti-inflammatory effect as well as its effect on the immune system.

For various reasons it is generally not possible in general practice to do proper randomised controlled trials using just one's own patients but I am convinced that there is enough evidence available now to suggest that the properties of this amazing plant should be properly tested, to prove whether or not there is just a myth or real medicine here. I for one, hope to be a part of this exciting field of research over the next few years.

Aloe Vera leaf cross section

The components of Aloe Vera can be divided into the following groups:

1. Vitamins

It is rich in all vitamins excluding Vitamin D, especially the antioxidant Vitamins A (beta-carotene), C and E and even contains a trace of Vit. B12, one of the very few plant sources of this vitamin. This is important for vegetarians and vegans.

2. Enzymes

Several different types of these biochemical catalysts when taken orally aid digestion by breaking down fat and sugars.

One in particular, Bradykinase, helps to reduce excessive inflammation when applied to the skin topically and therefore reduces pain, whereas others help digest any dead tissues in wounds. Lipases and proteases which break down foods and aid digestion are present.

3. Minerals

Calcium, Sodium Potassium, Manganese, Magnesium, Copper, Zinc, Chromium and the anti-oxidant Selenium.

Although minerals and trace elements are only needed in very small quantities, they are essential for the proper functioning of various enzyme systems in different metabolic pathways.

4. Sugars

These are derived from the mucilage layer of the plant which surrounds the inner gel. and are known as mucopolysaccharides, which enhance the immune system and help to detoxify. Aloe Vera contains both mono and polysaccharides, but the most important are the long chain sugars involving glucose and mannose or the gluco-mannans which I have already referred to. These sugars are ingested whole from the gut, not broken down like other sugars, and appear in the bloodstream in exactly the same form. This process is known as pinocytosis. Once in the blood stream they are able to exert their immuno-regulating effect. Some of these polysaccharides are not absorbed but stick to certain cells lining the gut and form a barrier preventing absorption of unwanted material so helping to prevent a "leaking" gut syndrome. In topical preparations the sugars are also the main moisturisers.

5. Anthraquinones

There are twelve of these Phenolic compounds which are found exclusively in the plant sap. In small quantities, when they do not exert their purgative effect, they aid absorption from the gastro-intestinal tract and have anti-microbial and pain killing effects. In some commercial health drinks, the anthraquinones are removed because of the fear of producing abdominal pain or diarrhoea, but I feel that they are actually beneficial in small amounts. The important ones, Aloin and Emodin, act as painkillers. They also function as anti-bacterials and anti-virals.

6. Lignin

This in itself is an inert substance but when included in topical preparations it endows Aloe Vera with a singular penetrative effect so the other ingredients are absorbed into the skin.

7. Saponins

These soapy substances form about 3% of the Aloe Vera gel and are capable of cleansing, having antiseptic properties. These act powerfully as anti-microbials against bacteria, viruses, fungi and yeasts.

8. Fatty Acids

Cholesterol, Campesterol, b. Sisosterol and Lupeol.

These four plant steroids are important anti-inflammatory agents.

9. Salicylic acid

An aspirin-like compound possessing anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.

10. Amino Acids

The body needs 22 amino acids – the gel provides 20 of these. More importantly, it provides 7 out of the 8 essential amino acids which the body cannot synthesise.