I'm back to work on my book-in-progress, Medicine in Your Own Back Alley. My latest subject (there are at least 15 botanicals) is the puzzling Aloe vera.

I've been using Aloe vera since before I was even remotely interested in herbalism. It's a first rate burn-healer... and since I burn my self more often than most people blow their noses, this plant and I have gotten very close over the last 20+ years. But that's not what makes it puzzling.

I'm puzzled about how the indigenous peoples of Africa harvest the plant compared to how we (read: I) do it today. Rather than the squishing and squeezing we do to cause more of the gooey gel to come out, they simply slice the leaves transversely and let the juice exudate from the leaf with no coaxing other than the gentle pull of the earth. Why? Dunno. But surely these people have a good reason. No one had to tell me to squeeze to get more out, it just made sense. So why don't they do it? As I said before, dunno.

An intriguing plant which currently is getting a lot of attention. Indicated in diabetes, immunomodulating for HIV patients, containing 7 or the 8 essential amino acids, and having antimicrobial properties. Oh, and don't forget wound healing, especially in burns.

To quote Dr Peter Atherto;

In the meantime, one can feel confident, when using aloe vera clinically, that one is following the advice of Hippocrates: ...and above all, do no harm.

Note: Aloe vera is also contraindicated for several conditions, including pregnancy and some GI disorders. While it can help significantly in many cases, it's not a benign herb for all.