Aloe Vera is a succulent and versatile “Miracle Plant”, belonging to the lily family. It was used as herbal medicine as early as the beginning of the first century AD. Extracts from Aloe. Vera are widely used in the cosmetics industry and in the field of alternative medicine. Aloe Vera has long been known to have the soothing, moisturizing, and healing properties, containing natural therapeutic and beautifying ingredients.
General Health Benefits
There are about 150 nutritional ingredients identified in Aloe Vera and they are believed to be working synergistically to create healing and health benefits. The main functional ingredients include: amino acids, anthraquinones, enzymes, minerals, vitamins, lignins, monosaccharide, polysaccharides, salicylic acid, saponins, and sterols. Essential amino acids are the building blocks of protein for which our body can not synthesize and has to obtain from the diets. Aloe Vera contain all the essential amino acids indispensable for the human body. Aloe Vera also contain a group of vitamin B and minerals such as zinc, selenium, which are cofactors for many enzymes in the body engaged in various biological metabolism. Aloe Vera also contain a range of ingredients (e.g. some polysaccharides, enzymes, salicylic acid, saponins and sterols ) that are anti-septic, anti-viral and are beneficial in boosting immune functions.
Skin Benefits
The Aloe Vera Gel – an extract of Aloe Vera leaf – Aloe Vera gel is helpful for treating various skin ailments such as dermatitis, burns and other skin disorders. One of the most popular uses of aloe Vera gel is for healing burns and sunburns. In addition, they prevent itching and scratching of the skin. Aloe Vera can heal wounds and stops bleeding from minor cuts. Aloe Vera can almost combat any type of skin allergies including radiation-induced skin reactions. Lignins is a major structural component of cellulose in Aloe Vera that have penetrating properties. Aloe Vera can penetrating into the deep layer of the skin. This property make Aloe Vera beneficial for treating skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis.
Aloe Vera used in cosmetic and skincare products may help prevent skin aging. They help moisturize the skin, gets rid of fine lines, wrinkles, dead cells on the surface of the skin, rejuvenating the skin keeping them supple and glowing. Aloe Vera is an antioxidant rich plant, containing antioxidant vitamins s A, C, and E plus the minerals, zinc, and selenium. Antioxidants combat free radicals in the body. Free radical is one of the main causes of aging and skin aging. Antioxidant vitamins (A, C, E) are widely used in topical as well as supplements for skin care purposes. Glycosides and indole acetic acid are the main compounds that allow Aloe Vera to effectively reduce inflammation. The anti-inflammatory ingredients of aloe Vera prevent chronic inflammation induced skin aging.
An Aloe Vera moisturizer topical skin care product can contain aloe Vera from 60% to 98% of Aloe Vera gel, polysaccharides are water binding humectant agents that help retain water in the skin and the deep penetrating properties of aloe Vera brought aloe Vera gel deep into the skin. It also has cohesive effects on the epidermal cells by sticking them together which softens the skin. The amino acids also soften hardened skin cells and zinc act as an astringent to tighten pores.
Aloe Vera was found to stimulate the collagen synthesis and is believed to stimulate skin cell renewal and rejuvenation. Collagen is important skin structural protein that give skin the elasticity. Aging results in reduced collagen and deeper wrinkles. Research has shown that Aloe Vera was found to increase production of human fibroblast cells – the dermis skin cell synthesize and secrete collagen to the extracellular matrix – six to eight times than control group in vitro.