Aloe Vera (Zabila)
The aloe vera plant produces two substances: a gel, found in the middle of the plant leaves, and latex, a yellowish substance found just under the plant’s skin. Latino healers have traditionally used both substances to treat a wide range of both external and internal ailments.
Modern medicine has shown that the gel of the aloe vera plant is a safe, natural remedy for many skin conditions, including burns, sunburns, cold sores and psoriasis, because compounds in the plant improve blood circulation in the affected area and prevent cell death around a wound.
Aloe latex has also been traditionally used as a powerful antidote to constipation when taken by mouth. Although it is highly effective, modern medicine asserts that eating this part of the plant is likely unsafe, especially at high doses. Some studies show eating aloe latex may cause cancer and also that the substance is very hard on the kidneys. Eating too much could lead to serious kidney disease and even death.
