2914
Views & Citations1914
Likes & Shares
In many
parts of world, there is still a tradition of using herbal drugs to combat
various diseases & infections. Sibr is one of the essential components of
Unani system of medicine and used by Unani physicians due to it has a lot of
medicinal properties since ancient time. It is commonly called aloe-vera and
belongs to the Liliaceae family. It is a cactus like herb and grows in hot and
arid environment. Unani physicians have been using this drug as a laxative,
purgative (phlegm/bile), brain tonic (strengthen brain), stomach tonic
(strengthen stomach), liver tonic (strengthen liver), emmenogogue,
anti-inflammatory, blood purifier, antibacterial and carminative agent. Hence,
this drug having a vital place in Unani system of medicine and text. It is also
use to reducing low density lipoprotein, increasing high density lipoprotein,
minimizing frost-bite injury, reducing blood glucose level, fighting against
acquired immuno deficiency syndrome (AIDS), allergies and boosting immune
system. This article was designed to lime light the Aloe barbadensis by
describing its brief toxicology, contraindications, traditional, therapeutic
and others uses.
Keywords: Antibacterial,
Aloe barbadensis, Sibr, Therapeutic,
Unani system of medicine
INTRODUCTION
Sibr (aloe vera) is an extremely
popular herbal drug amongst the various currently available herbal remedies and
at the moment receiving a lot of scientific attention [1]. Sibr
is an oldest medicinal plant ever known and most applied medicinal plant
globally used for centuries for its health, beauty, cosmetic, vigor, wellness
and medicinal properties [2,3]. The word aloe has originated from the Arabic
word viz. “Alloeh”, meaning a ‘shining bitter substance,’
whereas “vera” in Latin means “true,”
about 2000 year back. The Unani scientists considered Sibr as the universal panacea and Egyptians called it “the plant of immortality.” Nowadays, the plant
of Sibr has been used for different
purposes in Dermatology and Cosmetology (Amraaz-e-jild Wa Tazeeniyaat) [3].
HISTORY
The history of our understanding of A. barbadensis parallels the history of
scientific knowledge. Sibr has been
used for its medicinal properties in many cultures such as Greece, Egypt,
India, Japan, China and Mexico from thousand years. It is used by Egyptian
Queens Nefertiti as beauty regimes. Dioscorides, renowned Unani scholar of
Roman era, describe about the Sibr in
his Medical treatise “De Materia Medica”
[3].
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION [4]
Taxonomy
• Kingdom: Plantae
• Order: Asparagales
• Family: Liliaceae
• Genus: Aloe
• Species: A. vera
Plant profile [3,5-7]
• Botanical Name: Aloe
barbadensis Linn.
• Common Name: Aloe Vera
• Family: Liliaceae
Vernacular names
[5,7-10]
• Arabic:
Sibr
• Persian: Shabyar, Alwa
• Hindi: Ailwa, Ghee-kanwar
• Greek: Faiqra
• Sanskrit: Kumarai,
Aileekh
• English: Indian aloes
• Romi: Alya
Part used
The dried and fresh juice of the leaves, leaf
gel, the whole leaves, the gel from the water storing tissue and the roots
[7,8,11].
Temperament (Mizaj)
• Hot and dry in second degree
[5,7,8].
• Hot in second degree and dry
in third degree [9,12,13].
Geographical distribution
There are about 250 species of A. barbadensis grown throughout the
world. Amongst them 2 species are grown commercially e.g. A. barbadensis Miller and A.
arborescens. It is grown in warm, tropical regions and cannot stay alive in
freezing temperature [1].
Aloe vera is a native to North Africa, the
Mediterranean region of South Europe, Canary Island, Southern Arabia, and
Madagascar. It is now cultivated throughout the West Indies, North and South
Tropical America, Caribbean and tropical Asia [14-16]. In India, it grows wild on the coast of
Mumbai, Gujarat and South India [17,18].
Traditional uses
It is popular
amongst various traditional medicines like Chinese, Ayurvedic, Unani etc. In
Ayurvedic medicine, it is used internally as a uterine stimulant, laxative,
vermicide and hemorrhoid remedy. Topically, it is used to treat various skin
disorders like eczema, psoriasis in different proportion with licorice root. In
Arabian medicine, the fresh gel of aloe is rubbed on the forehead to lighten
the headache and also rubbed on the whole body to cool it in case of pyrexia.
It is also use to heal the wound, to cure the conjunctivitis and as a
disinfectant [19].
Actions (Afa’al) [5-8,10,12,18,20-23]
Laxative/cathartic,
purgative (phlegm/bile), Tonic to stomach and liver, vermicide emmenogogue, antiulcerogenic,
anti-inflammatory, anesthetic, antibacterial, antiprostaglandin effect, antispasmodic,
carminative, diuretic, blood purifier, antileprotic.
MEDICINAL USES
(ISTEMAL)
Gastro-intestinal tract
Aloe relieves obstruction of liver and
stomach, act as a tonic for liver and stomach and is beneficial in jaundice.
The drug is widely used for constipation, anal fissure and hemorrhoids
[10,24,25]. It is used in worm infestation due to its vermicide action [7,22]. The
stem is used in dysentery [10].
Central nervous system
It purifies the brain, eyes by excretion of
corrupt humors from them. It is beneficial in melancholia and in case of
headache it mixed with rose oil and applied on forehead [24,25].
Respiratory system
It is used in children suffering from
bronchial asthma [10,22,25].
Skin
Radiation burns, thermal burns, frost bite,
wound healing in pressure sore, seborrhoeic dermatitis and psoriasis
[9,10,20,25-27].
Fertility and menstruation
In a study aloe compound was found to improve
fertility in 85%, the menstrual function also improved in 44.60%. It has been
concluded that aloe compound is very useful in case of functional sterility.[28].
It is also used in various menstrual disorders such as amenorrhea,
oligomenorrhoea [7,8,22].
Analgesic activity
Carboxypeptidase was found to have a
significant analgesic effect and inhibited the acceleration of vascular
permeability with acetic acid inflammation. It has been suggested that
carboxypeptidase may be a main anti-inflammatory agent of aloe, though other
compounds could contribute to the effect [29].
Musculoskeletal system
Aloe is also beneficial in joints pain
(wajaul mafasil). It mixed with roghan-e-gulab and used as a Tila in Wajaul
Mafasil [6,9,10,22-24].
Dose
(Miqdar-e-khurak) [7-9,13,22,23]
6 gm, 4½ g-9g, 1
ratti-4 ratti, 3½ masha-4½ masha, 1.75 masha-3½ masha, 7 masha, 10½ masha.
Substitute (badal) [5,7,8,22]
·
Turbud (Ipomoea turpethum R.)
·
Usara Rewand
·
Huzuz double its weight, says
Ibn-e-Masawaih
·
Rasoot double its weight and Afsanteen,
Zafraan
CHEMISTRY
The aloe
yields two important products:
Aloe resin
It is the
solid residue obtained by evaporating the latex obtained from the pericyclic
cells beneath the skin. The bitter yellow latex contains the anthroquinone
barbaloin (a glucoside of aloe-emodin) and iso- barbaloin in addition to a
series of o- glucosides of barbaloin called aloinosides chrysophanic acid and
upto 63% resin. Filtering out resins from the exudates and concentrating the
remaining anthroglycoside material into crystalline form produces aloin. The
concentration of anthroglycosides varies with the types of aloe ranging from
4.5 to 25% of aloin. Aloin is a mixture of water soluble glycosides obtained
from aloe [30].
Dried leaf juice
Anthranoids: Anthrones mainly the c-glycosides, aloins A
and B (barbaloin, isobarbaloin and stereoisomers of 10-glucosyl-aloe-emodin
anthrone), other glycosides include 8-0-methyl-7-hydroxy aloins A and B,
aloinosides A and B (aloin-11-0-rhamnosoids). Small quantities of 1,
8-dihydroxyxanthraquinoid glycones, including aloe-emodin and chrysophanol are
present [11].
Chromones: Major constituents are aloesin and aloeresin
E. lesser quantities of isoaloresin D, 8-c-glucosyl-7-o-methyl-aloesol and
related glycosides which may be esterified at the glucose moiety by either
cinnamic, p-coumeric or ferulic acids are also present. Non-glycosylated
chromones include 7-hydroxy-2, 5-dimethyl chromone, furoaloesone,
2-acetonyl-7-hydroxy-8-5-methyl chromone and 2-acetonyl-8-7-hydroxy-5-methyl
chromone [11].
Phenyl
pyrones- glycosides include aloenin and aloenin B [11].
Other constituents: Cinnamic acid and 1-methyl
tetralin, salicylates, cholesterol, .tryglycerides, magnesium lactate,
carboxypeptide [11,31].
Toxicology [7,8,23]
• Harmful (Muzir): It is harmful to intestine due
to its erosive property
• Corrective (Musleh)
• Kateera (Sterculia urenus)
• Gul-e-surkh (Rosa damascus mill)
Side effects
• Gastrointestinal: Spasm, irreversible intestinal mucosa damage,
hemorrhagic diarrhea due to internal use of dried juice and pigmentation of
intestinal mucosa (pseudomelanosis coli). These side effects usually resolved
after withdrawal [11,21,32-34].
• Genitourinary: Red-colored urine, nephrotoxicity due to use of
dried juice internally [11,34].
• Skin: Contact sensitivity, severe burning sensation, itching, rash,
pruritis after the application of Aloe vera to skin [33].
• Aloe can reportedly cause
muscle weakness, cardiac arrhythmias, peripheral edema, and weight loss [33].
• Reproductive: Uterine contraction causes spontaneous abortion,
premature labor (internal use of dried juice). Aloe has been associated with
congenital malformations, thus its use is contraindicated in pregnant and
nursing women [35].
Contraindications
• Dried aloe juice should not
be used internally in case of pregnancy and lactation because anthraquinone is
secreted in breast milk [21,31,32,34].
• It is contraindicated in
patients with kidney disease, cardiac disease, bowel obstruction, IBS and
appendicitis [31,32].
• It should not be used
topically on deep wounds [32].
• It should not be used
topically by persons who are hypersensitive to this plant or plants in the
Liliaceae family such as garlic, onions etc [32].
INTERACTIONS
Herb/drug
Aloe
product taken internally may increase the effects of antidysrhythmics (e.g.
quinidine), cardiac glycosides, loop diuretics, potassium wasting drugs,
thiazide diuretics [32,34].
Herb
• The action of jimsonweed is
increased in case of chronic use of aloe.
• Licorice may cause
hypokalemia when used with aloe or taken internally [32].
Compounds (Murakkabat) [7,8,23]
The famous Unani Compound formulations of Sibr are as follows:
• Habb-e-tinkar
• Habb-e-shibyar
• Habb-e-mudir
• Habb-e-sibr
• Habb-e-ayarij
CONCLUSION
In last
few decades, there is increased interest in understanding the mechanism of
action and development of herbal drugs for wellness of human being. Treatment
based on allopathic drugs is effective in the prevention and management of
diseases, but it is very expensive and has a lot of adverse effects. Hence, the
implication of natural herbal drugs in prevention and management of diseases,
day by day are increasing all over the world, especially in the developing
countries, due to their affordability and less toxicity. The A. barbadensis
Linn (Sibr) has been used by renowned Unani physicians since ancient time to
treat various bacterial infection, gastro-intestinal disorders, skin
conditions, fighting against allergies, to heal cancer and boosting the immune
system. Along with this, Sibr has many other uses which are supported by
various researches done by researchers across the world. Traditionally, A.
barbadensis Linn is used to treat a huge variety of health problems.
Consequently, there is a burning call to investigate the biological activity of
its phytoconstituents for development of a new more effective, economical,
reliable herbal drug with better efficacy and higher safety margin.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The
authors were thankful to Prof. Misbahuddin Siddiqi, D/o Moalijat, Faculty of
Unani medicine, A.M.U., Aligarh-202002 for providing necessary support to carry
out this work.
CONFLICT OF INTERESTS
There is no conflict of interests to declare.
1.
Sajjad A, Sajjad SS (2014) Aloe vera: An ancient
herb for modern dentistry - A literature review. J Dent Surg 1-6.
2.
Pandey A, Singh S (2016) Aloe Vera: A systemic
review of its industrial and ethno-medicinal efficacy. Int J Pharm Res Allied
Sci 5: 21-33.
3.
Surjushe A, Vasani R, Saple DG (2008) Aloe vera: A
short review. Indian J Dermatol 53: 163-166.
4.
Kumari BN, Sharmila N (2015) Aloe vera its
medicinal uses: A review. Int J Pharmacol Pharm Sci 2: 16-21.
5.
CCRUM (1999) Kitab al Abdal (English Translation)
Department of ISM & H, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, New Dehli.
6.
Safiuddin AHS(1986) Unani Advia Mufrida. Taraqqi
Urdu Bureau, New Dehli.
7.
Ahmad TN (YNM) Khwas-ul-advia. India: Idara
Kitab-us-Shifa Kocha Chelan Daryaganj, New Dehli.
8.
Kabeeruddin Hakeem (YNM) Makhzanul Mufradat. Ejaz
Publishing House, Daryaganj, Delhi.
9.
Ibn BZA (1999) Aljamiul Mufradat Al Advia Wa Al
Aghzia. CCRUM Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, New
Delhi.
10.
Gupta AK, Neeraj T (2004) Review on Indian
medicinal plants. Medicinal Plants Unit ICMR, New Delhi, India.
11.
Barnes J, Anderson LA, Phillipson D (YNM). Herbal
medicines-A guide for health care professionals. Pharmaceutical Press.
12.
Rabban-al-Tabari A (1996) Firdaus-ul-Hikmat. Idara
Tarjuman Tib Diamond Publications, Lahore.
13.
Rushd I (1987) Kitab ul Kulliyat. CCRUM Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi.
14.
Marderosian AD, Beutter JA (2002) The review of
natural products: Fact and comparisons.
15.
Ross IA (1999) Medicinal plants of the
world-chemical constituents, traditional and modern medicinal uses. Hunna
Press.
16.
Hooker JD, CBKCSI (1984) The Flora of British
India. Periodical Expert Book Agency.
17.
Pekin Jr TJ, Zvaifler NJ (1964) Hemolytic
complement in synovial fluid. J Clin Invest 43: 1372-1382.
18.
Sheshadri TR (1976) Medicinal plants of India.
Indian Council of Medical Research.
19.
Pareek S, Nagaraj A, Sharma P, Naidu S, Yousuf A
(2013) Aloe-vera: A herb with medicinal properties. Int J Oral Care Res 1: 47-50.
20.
Zakariya MB (1991) Kitabul al Mansoori. CCRUM
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, New Dehli.
21.
Sharma PC, Velnu MB, Dennis T J (2002) Database on
medicinal plants used in Ayurvedic.
22.
Najmul GH (YNM) Khazainul Advia. Idara Kitab ul
Shifa, Daryaganj, New Delhi.
23.
Qasmi IA (2001) Kitab-ul-Mufridat. International
Printing Press, Aligarh, India.
24.
Hubal BI(2007) Kitab Al Mukhtarat Fit Tib. Ministry
of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi.
25.
Hakeem AH (1991) Bustan-ul-Mufridat. Khursheed Book
Depot, Lucknow, India.
26.
Strickland FM, Pelle RP (1994) Prevention of
ultraviolet radiation and induced suppression of contact and delayed
hypersensitivity by Aloe Barbadensis gel extract. J Invest Dermatol 102:
197-204.
27.
Syed TA, Ahmad SA, Holt AH, Ahmad SH, Afzal M
(1996) Management of psoriasis with aloe vera extract in a hydrophilic cream: A
placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Trop Med Int Health 1: 505.
28.
Gupta K (1972) Aloes compound (a herbal drug) in
functional sterility. Indian Obst Gynae 26: 19.
29.
Leung AY, Foster S (1996) Encyclopedia of common
natural ingredients used in food, drugs and cosmetics. Wiley-Inter Science.
30.
Leung AY (1980) Encyclopedia of common natural
ingredients used in food, drugs and cosmetics. New York: J Wiley and Sons.
31.
Chun-su-Yuan, Eric J, Brent A (2006) Textbook of
complementary and alternative medicine. Informa Healthcare.
32.
Roth LS (2001) Mosby’s Handbook of Herbs and
Natural Supplements.
33.
Aronson JK (2009) Meylers Side effects of herbal
medicines. Elsevier Saunders.
34.
Fetrow CW, Avita JR (2002) The complete guide to
herbal medicines. Springhouse Corporation.
35.
Briggs C (1995) Herbal medicine: Aloe. Can Pharm J
128: 48-50.
QUICK LINKS
- SUBMIT MANUSCRIPT
- RECOMMEND THE JOURNAL
-
SUBSCRIBE FOR ALERTS
RELATED JOURNALS
- Proteomics and Bioinformatics (ISSN:2641-7561)
- Journal of Womens Health and Safety Research (ISSN:2577-1388)
- Journal of Astronomy and Space Research
- Journal of Genomic Medicine and Pharmacogenomics (ISSN:2474-4670)
- Journal of Agriculture and Forest Meteorology Research (ISSN:2642-0449)
- Advances in Nanomedicine and Nanotechnology Research (ISSN: 2688-5476)
- Journal of Microbiology and Microbial Infections (ISSN: 2689-7660)