By Dr. Ron Pelley

The lASC recognizes the following scientific definition of Aloe:

Succulent member of the Liliaceae family, generally referring to either Aloe barbadensis or A. arboresens but can also refer to A. sinensis or A. saponaria. These plants of medical importance are generally referred
to in commerce as "Aloe Vera". The ethanopharmacognosy of the Aloe genus is complex and includes:
(i) use of powders of the ground whole dried plant, taken orally in the Far East as a tonic;
(ii) use of the dried latex, taken orally as a laxative in Southern Africa and Northern Europe;
(III) topical use of the parenchymal gel in Meso America.

A wide variety of biologically active compounds have been isolated from Aloe including:
(i) free and conjugated (c-glycosyl) anthraquinones;
(ii) chromone glycosides;
(iii) polysaccharides;
(iv) alpha hydroxy acids and a wide variety of singular compounds of uncertain significance.

The commonest commercial usages that are generally accepted are as:

(i) a tonic,
(ii) an emollient or antiinflammatory dermatologic preparation and
(iii) a general beverage.

Aloe is the scientific term for the plant genus. It includes the species barbadensis and arboresens (the two species most common in commerce) and almost 200 other species. Linnaeus originally classified A. barbadensis as Aloe vera but when Miller reclassified the Liliaceae he introduced the modern species name (barbadensis). Although there are
occasional scientific uses of the term Aloe vera, the term should be regarded as archaic in scientific usage. The term Aloe vera (unitalicized) is common and proper to commerce. In the United States, the lASC suggests (see lASC commercial definitions that the term apply only to A. barbadensis materials). In the U.S. and British Pharmacopea Aloe refers to
the latex of the Aloe plant.