Aloe Vera Relieves Inflammation

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Aloe vera reduces inflammation. Various researches have showed that aloe vera consists of Lupeol or phyto-steroids, Campesterol and B-Sitosterol. These substances work in the similar manner as conventional steroids. Aloe contains small levels of salicylic acid and salicylates.

Aloe Vera and Anti-inflammatory Effects

The anti-inflammatory effect of aloe vera has been revealed by a number of in vitro and in vivo studies. Aloe appears to exert its anti-inflammatory effect through bradykinase effect and thromboxane B2 and prostaglandin F2 inhibition. Aloe vera contains salicylic acid which is an aspirin-like compound with analgesic and anti inflammatory effects. Salicylic acid has pain relief effects and relieves inflammation by inhibiting the production of prostaglandin hormones-which encourage inflammation. Three plant sterols in aloe vera reduces inflammation by up to 37% in croton oil-induced oedema in mice. Also, in researches, aloe vera has been shown to possess anti-bradykinin effect. Bradykinin is part of the body’s complex mechanism that causes painful inflammation.

Plant steroids have inflammatory properties, and according to a 2006 article reported by “Family Health News Nutrition“, salicylic acid and  aspirin are similar in anti-inflammatory effect. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications ease swollen joints and improve mobility, however may trigger stomach upsets or peptic ulcers. Aloe vera can alleviate inflammation, help to regenerate new cells and disperse damaged tissue with no adverse effects. Scientists in Mexico found that aloe vera inhibits COX-2, an enzyme that causes inflammation in the arachidonic acid pathway. According to the article reported in Dec 1994 in the “Journal of the American Podiatric Association”, aloe has a natural COX-2 inhibiting effect which relieves pain, fever and inflammation in the muscle without the unfavorable effects of the COX-2 inhibiting drugs. In a study animals were injected with a bacterium to cause arthritic symptoms. Further, aloe vera (150mg/kg body weight) was injected under the skin daily for 13 days. Aloe vera reduced inflammation by 79 % and suppressed the autoimmune response by 42 %.

Aloe Vera Could Help Treat Digestive Problems

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Aloe vera (Aloe Barbadensis Miller) is a widely cultivated cactus-like plant that is a member of the lily family. Aloe vera is known to soothe and cleanse the digestive tract and help develop digestion.

Aloe Vera Digestive Benefits

Aloe vera is known worldwide for its digestive effects. Specific components in aloe vera have a anti inflammatory activity on the enzymes responsible for damaging the intestinal wall. Mucopolysaccharides found in the aloe vera role in the body by lining the colon to keep out toxins. Mucopolysaccharides expedite the absorption of water, electrolytes and nutrition in the gastrointestinal tract, and help to maintain fluid movement thus the digestive system can work healthy and alleviate indigestion. Aloe latex and aloe leaves include chemicals with laxative effects. German Commission E (an official government agency similar to the FDA) has approved aloe for treating constipation. A typical dose is 50 to 200 mg of aloe latex, taken in liquid or capsule form once a day for up to 10 days.

Ulcerative colitis is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that affects the membrane of the colon and rectum. Some researches shows that aloe vera can help relieve ulcerative colitis which is a painful inflammation of the colon. Patients with ulcerative colitis responded well to aloe vera in a study reported in the Apr 2004 edition of the journal Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Patients took 100 mL of aloe vera gel twice per day for 4 weeks. As many as 47% demonstrated healing of ulcerative colitis symptoms. A 2004 article reported in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that administration of oral aloe appeared to have a protecting property on the lining of the stomachs of rats. Another study reported  the World Journal of Gastroenterology (2006) found that aloe could promote the healing of gastric ulcers. Aloe may preserve against stomach ulcers, according to a study reported in the Apr 2011 edition of the International Journal of Molecular Medicine. A study performed in Japan demonstrated that the compounds in aloe juice decreased the formation of lesions and secretion of gastric juices that can cause the pain associated with ulcers. A team from the Barts and London, “Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry” have carried out experiments which show that the herb has a useful efficacy on the production of substances which help boost the healing process in cases of ulceration in the gut. The scientists believe aloe vera could be especially beneficial in treating ulcers caused as a adverse effect of taking anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs.

Use of Aloe vera in Treating Skin Problems

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Aloe vera (Aloe Barbadensis Miller) is a cactus-like plant that has been used for health purposes at least two thousand years. Aloe vera contains phytochemicals that enhances the rate of healing of skin lesions and damaged epithelial cells of the Aloe Barbadensis Miller gastrointestinal tract. Studies have shown that aloe gel might be helpful in treating psoriasis, dandruff, seborrhea, and minor burns and skin abrasions, as well as radiation-induced skin injuries.

Aloe Vera Skin Benefits

Aloe Vera helps to stimulate cell renewal, contains anti-inflammatory and antiseptic  effects, and it moisturizes and nourishes the skin. Aloe vera works on the burned skin by reducing inflammation, killing bacteria and promoting healthful tissue growth.”The Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Cosmetology” at the University in Belgrade, reported research in 2011 noting that gel from aloe vera is believed to promote and assist the growth of new cells.

When aloe gel is applied to minor burns, the active compounds work to stimulate cellular growth and repair, as well as to relieve the pain of sunburn and other types of skin burns. Aloe cream was shown to be superior to silver sulfadiazine cream for the therapy of second-degree burns. In one study, burn sites treated with aloe vera healed completely in less than 16 days compared to 19 days for sites treated with silver sulfadiazine. In a study, 27 participant with moderate burn wounds were treated with  aloe vera gel or vaseline. The burns improved more fast in the aloe vera group, with an healing time of 12 days compared to 18 days for the group using vaseline.

Some findings show that aloe vera gel may ameliorate symptoms of genital herpes and certain skin conditions such as psoriasis. One study found that aloe gel displayed anti-inflammatory properties superior to 1% hydrocortisone cream or a placebo gel. Early researches indicate that aloe vera gel used topically may ameliorate the symptoms of genital herpes in men. In 2 studies, men who used the aloe cream (0.5% aloe) saw lesions heal faster than those who used a placebo cream.

Aloe can be considered a safe alternative therapy for mild to moderate chronic plaque psoriasis. Psoriasis patients experienced relaxation of symptoms with aloe vera in a study reported in the Feb 2010 edition of the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study reported in “Tropical Medicine and International Health“, 60 people with chronic psoriasis were given a 0.5% aloe vera extract in a mineral oil creme. When participants were checked after 8 months, far more psoriasis skin lesions had improved in the aloe vera group (82.8%) than in the placebo group (7.7%).

Panax Ginseng Improves Memory

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Ginseng (the root of Panax ginseng Meyer) is a deciduous perennial plant that belongs to the Araliaceae family. The root of panax ginseng contains ginsenosides which are biologically active compounds. The chemical analysis showed that the content of ginsenosides is related to the source, part and growth years of Panax ginseng. Ginsenosides, are thought responsible for ginseng’s health benefits. Researches shows that Panax ginseng may improve performance on such things as memory, concentration,  mental arithmetic, and other measures.

Panax Ginseng and Mental Performance

This plant stimulates the formation of blood vessel and develops blood circulation in the brains, thus improving memory and cognitive abilities. Several findings have showed that panax ginseng improves mental performance, especially during times of stress. Some researches have also found a favorable effect with the combination of Ginkgo biloba and Panax ginseng.

In a study of sixteen healthy males found positive changes in ability to perform mental arithmetic in those given ginseng for twelve weeks. A study of 20 healthy young participants who received a single 400-mg dose of ginseng found improvement in cognitive performance, secondary memory performance, speed of performing memory tasks, and accuracy of attentional tasks. In a study of 50 men found that eight-week therapy with a Panax ginseng improved ability in completion of a detail-oriented editing task. More comprehensive effects were seen in a study involving sixty elderly participants. Scientists found that 50 or 100 days of therapy with ginseng produced improvements in numerous measures of mental function, including memory, attention, concentration, and ability to cope. Effects were still evident at the 50-day follow-up. A study of 384 postmenopausal women who were randomized to receive placebo or ginseng for sixteen weeks demonstrated improvements in three subsets of a Psychological General Well-Being index.

In a 2006 study reported in the “Journal of Psychopharmacology“, 27 healthy young participants completed a 10 minute “cognitive demand” test. Use of ginseng demonstrated an enhanced performance. In one study of 112 healthy participants older than 40 years, the application of 400 mg per day of the standardized panax ginseng extract for 8 weeks resulted in better and faster simple reactions and abstract thinking. Both Panax ginseng and Ginkgo biloba exert a number of physiological effects and have been shown to modulate aspects of cognitive performance. A 2000 study in “Psychopharmacology” demonstrated that a combination of ginkgo biloba and Panax ginseng may help improve memory in healthy middle-aged adults. Those with Alzheimer’s disease reversed mental decline and continued to improve mental ability while taking P. ginseng, in a study. Researchers in this study said that recent experiments suggest Panax ginseng improves memory in Alzheimer’s disease and wanted to test mental ability in those with Alzheimer’s disease.The doctors gave about 60 subjects 4500 mg of ginseng per day while observing another 40 participants who did not take ginseng for twelve weeks. At 4 weeks, those in the ginseng group had improved mental test scores by approximately 3% while the non-ginseng group had declined by approximately 2%. At twelve weeks, the ginseng group had improved by approximately 5% while the non-ginseng group still demonstrated a slight decline. Mental scores returned to original levels when patients stopped taking Panax ginseng. Doctors concluded, “ginseng is clinically effective in the cognitive performance of Alzheimer’s disease patients.”

Can Panax Ginseng Prevent Cancer

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Panax ginseng apparently mitigates cancer through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and apoptotic mechanisms to influence gene expression. Its preventive effect against cancer has been shown by extensive preclinical and epidemiological studies. Mechanisms include inhibition of  DNA damage, inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis.

Panax Ginseng Role in Cancer Therapy

The main chemical components of P. ginseng are ginsenosides, which have been shown to have a variety of useful effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. In lab study using cell cultures and animals, some ginsenosides have been shown to boost the immune system or slow the growth of cancer cells. The number of ginsenoside types contained in Panax ginseng (38 ginsenosides) is dramatically more than that of ginsenoside types contained in American ginseng (19 ginsenosides). Panax ginseng and its active compounds have been examined for their inhibiting property on putative carcinogenesis mechanisms; in most experiments inhibitory activities were found.

In mice, Panax ginseng extracts and ginsenosides both appreciably inhibited lung metastases from melanoma. Studies on human breast cancer cells indicate that ginseng, particularly its constituent ginsenoside-Rb1, acts as a phytoestrogen. In a study reported in 2001 in the Journal of Korean Medical Science states that compounds in Panax ginseng have anti-carcinogenic effects and can preserve against different types of cancer, including lung cancer. Panax ginseng was found efficacious in patients with stage III gastric cancer for improving both post-operative immunity and survival. Enhanced CD3 and CD4 activity was reported with a 5-year survival for P. ginseng patients significantly higher than control (68 % versus 33 %). Effective dose was 4.5 g/day for the first 6 months after surgery.

Panax ginseng is thought to increase immune cells and improve some of the cancer-fighting chemicals in the body, such as interleukin-2, according to a research performed by the Department of Pathology during a study on young, healthy participants at “Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University” in Bangkok. A study conducted in South Korea followed 4,587 women and men aged thirty-nine years and older from 1987 to 1991. People who consumed panax ginseng regularly were compared with similar people who did not. It was documented that in that time, those who used ginseng had a 60 % lower incidence of death from cancer, particularly stomach and lung cancer. An epidemiological study analyzed the preventive activity of Panax ginseng on 3,974 patients with various types of cancer compared to case-matched controls for 67 weeks. Patients  taking panax ginseng showed a 50% lower risk of cancer recurrence compared to patients not taking ginseng. Cancer incidence reduced by 36 and 69 % in people taking ginseng for 1 year or 5 years, respectively. A greater protective effect was seen in cancers of the  esophagus, pharynx, liver and lung .