Aloe is a cactus-like plant that grows in hot, dry climates. It is grown in subtropical regions around the world, including the southern border areas of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Aloe was used in ancient Greece, Rome, Babylonia, and China. Historically, it was used for skin conditions and was thought to prevent premature graying of hair and promote wound healing. Aloe is used topically (applied to the skin) and orally. Topical use of aloe is promoted for acne, psoriasis, lichen planus (a very itchy rash on the skin or in the mouth), oral submucous fibrosis (a disease that causes scars and tissue fibrosis and can involve a burning sensation in the mouth), burns, and skin damage from radiation therapy. Oral use of aloe is promoted for weight loss, diabetes, and inflammatory bowel disease (a group of conditions caused by gut inflammation that includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis). Aloe products can be made from various parts of the aloe leaf, including the gel (from the inner leaf), latex (from the leaf’s outer layer), and whole crushed leaf (containing the gel and latex). In 2002, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a ruling that required manufacturers to remove aloe latex from over-the-counter laxative products because of a lack of safety data. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified whole leaf extract of aloe vera as a possible carcinogen in humans. (This form, called non-decolorized, has not undergone activated carbon treatment to remove toxic anthraquinone components.)
