Aloe, Lu Hui 芦荟Lu Hui (TCM)
Kumari (Ayurveda) Sibr (Unani) |
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New Kreuterbuch, Matthiolus, 1563
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Krauterbuch, Lonitzer, 1578
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Aloe humilis
Icones Plantarum Medcio-oeconomico, Vietz, 1806 |
Aloe perfoliata
Icones Plantarum Medcio-oeconomico, Vietz, 1800 |
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Left: Socrotine Aloes, Center: Curacao Aloes; Right: Cape Aloe
Squibb's Atlas of the Official Drugs, Mansfield, 1919
Squibb's Atlas of the Official Drugs, Mansfield, 1919
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Aloe as imported in a Keg (Socrotine Aloes); 2 cases of 'Monkey-skin Aloes', one case with burlap, one with matting; Gourds emptied and filled with Aloes
Squibb's Atlas of the Official Drugs, Mansfield, 1919 |
Dried Aloe juice
(Adam 2016) |
Botanical name:
Aloe spp.
A. vera, A. barbadensis (syn. A. vulgaris, India), A. ferox (Africa), A. perryi (Arabia) and others
Parts used:
dried juice; prepared ('washed') juice; more recently, the fresh juice is used.
Temperature & Taste:
Cold, dry (often classed as Warm in the Western Tradition); Bitter
Purges, binds, cleanses
Classification:
2F. PURIFYING. 2G. CLEANSING. 2N. REPELLENTS. 2T. GLUTINATE. 2X. INCARNATIVE. 2Z. CICATRIZING
Preparers and Purgers of Phlegm. Preparers and Purgers of Melancholy. Preparers and Purgers of Bile
Aloe spp.
A. vera, A. barbadensis (syn. A. vulgaris, India), A. ferox (Africa), A. perryi (Arabia) and others
Parts used:
dried juice; prepared ('washed') juice; more recently, the fresh juice is used.
Temperature & Taste:
Cold, dry (often classed as Warm in the Western Tradition); Bitter
Purges, binds, cleanses
Classification:
2F. PURIFYING. 2G. CLEANSING. 2N. REPELLENTS. 2T. GLUTINATE. 2X. INCARNATIVE. 2Z. CICATRIZING
Preparers and Purgers of Phlegm. Preparers and Purgers of Melancholy. Preparers and Purgers of Bile
ADVERTISEMENT:
Uses:
1. Clears Heat, Purges Bile and Phlegm:
-purge in Bile and Bile-Phlegm (Damp-Heat) diseases. Suitable for purging in all cases of excess
-'removes superfluous bilious matters from the head' (Avicenna)
-Headache, restlessness, insomnia, tinnitus
-congestion or obstruction of the abdominal organs from Heat or Heat and Phlegm (Damp-Heat)
-Hepatitis, Hepatic obstruction, Jaundice
-'useful for treating arthralgia' (Avicenna)
-Fever from excess Heat or Liver heat
2. Drains Downward, Opens Obstructions
-acute constipation with Heat; Atony of the Bowel
-Promotes Menstruation when obstructed
3. Promotes Digestion:
-'restores lost appetite' (Avicenna)
-small doses to stimulate appetite and digestion
-washed Aloes was most used in the West to strengthen the Stomach
-Childhood Nutritional Impairment (TCM)
-"The treated [washed] Aloe is a weaker purgative but it is more useful for the Stomach". (Avicenna)
4. Resists Poison and Putrefaction
-internally and topically to clear Poison and resist putrefaction in Wounds, Sores etc.
-taken to prevent infection during Epidemics; to treat and heal Infectious diseases
5. Benefits Heart, Purges Melancholy:
-with suitable herbs to purge Melancholy Humor
-"The classical system of medicine mentions that aloe purges out Black Bile and is useful in Melancholia" (Avicenna)
-'Persian Aloe increases intelligence and strengthens the heart' (Avicenna)
-Palpitations (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
6. Kills and Expels Worms
7. Externally:
-Bruises, Wounds, Ulcers, Sores especially of the Genitals, Gangrene
-difficult to cure Ulcers of the Anus, Penis, Eyes, Nose or Mouth. (Avicenna)
-powder is put into hollow teeth to relieve Toothache
-heals Ulcerative Whitlow (Avicenna)
-Hemorrhoids, Anal Ruptures
-applied to Tumors and Cancers
-mixed with wine and applied to prevent falling of Hair. (Avicenna)
-applied with wine and honey to swellings of the Anus and Penis (Avicenna)
-mixed with honey and wine as a mouthwash for sores and Ulcers of the Mouth, Tongue or Gums
-applied with Honey to Scars (Avicenna)
Dose:
Powder and Pills: 200mg–4 grams (typically 300mg–1 gram). Large doses should be avoided today.
200–500mg is a small dose, 500–1500mg is a moderate dose; 2–4 grams is a large dose.
Powder and Pills: 200mg–4 grams (typically 300mg–1 gram). Large doses should be avoided today.
200–500mg is a small dose, 500–1500mg is a moderate dose; 2–4 grams is a large dose.
Main Combinations:
Aloe & Myrrh
Aloe & Rose
1. Many formulas are based on the combination of Aloe ... available in PRO version
2. To Purge Bile, combine Aloe with ... available in PRO version
3. To Purge Phlegm, combine Aloe with ... available in PRO version
4. To Purge Melancholy, combine Aloe with ... available in PRO version
5. To Purge Congealed Blood, combine Aloe with ... available in PRO version
6. To promote Menstruation, Aloe with ... available in PRO version
7. Cough, Aloe with ... available in PRO version
8. Arthritis, Rheumatism, Aloe with ... available in PRO version
9. Arthritis, Joint disease, Aloe with ... available in PRO version
10. Scoliosis, crookedness of the back, Aloe with ... available in PRO version
11. Jaundice, Liver Tumor, Liver Sclerosis, Cirrhosis, Liver Obstruction Aloe with ... available in PRO version
12. To strongly promote Menstruation, Aloe with ... available in PRO version
13. As a suppository, Aloe ... available in PRO version
14. Wounds, Bruising, Trauma, Gangrene, Aloe with ... available in PRO version
Major Formulas:
Powder to Purge Bile (Mesue)
Arabian Pills (Nicholas)
Aromatic Pills of Aloes (Sweet Pills of Aloe, Pilulae Aloephangine) (Mesue)
Common Pills
The Count's Night Pills
Golden Pills (Nicholas)
Greater Polycrest Pills
Hiera Picra
Hiera Theodoretus
Lesser Pills of Cochia
Imperial Pills
Pestilential Pills of Basil
Pills Against Pestilence Magistrale
Pills of Aloe (Unani)
Pills for Cataracts
Pills for Joint Disease
Pills for many Diseases of the Body
Pills for Mixed Humors (Mesue)
Pills for Pestilence
Pills of Ten Things (Unani)
‘Pills without which I would not be’ (Nicholas)
Stomach Pills (Mesue)
Rosed Aloes (Aloe Rosata)
Elixir Vitae (Tincture of Life)
Tincture of Myrrh and Aloes
Boladi Vati (Ayurveda)
ADVERTISEMENT:
Cautions:
1. Not used in purgative doses in deficiency
2. Not used during Pregnancy
3. Not used long-term. Most typically, it was used in compounds once weekly on a long-term basis.
Main Preparations used:
Prepared (washed) Aloes (washed in water, or with Rose, Endive, Sorrel or Chicory water; or it can be washed with a purging decoction to make it stronger), Aloes prepared with Violet juice, Aloes with Violet and Tartar, Aloes prepared with Rose juice (Aloes Rosata) Extract, Purging Oil of Aloes
1. Not used in purgative doses in deficiency
2. Not used during Pregnancy
3. Not used long-term. Most typically, it was used in compounds once weekly on a long-term basis.
Main Preparations used:
Prepared (washed) Aloes (washed in water, or with Rose, Endive, Sorrel or Chicory water; or it can be washed with a purging decoction to make it stronger), Aloes prepared with Violet juice, Aloes with Violet and Tartar, Aloes prepared with Rose juice (Aloes Rosata) Extract, Purging Oil of Aloes