Aloe Vera: Medicinal Aloe

Aloe vera, pronounced /ˈæloʊ ˈvɪrə/[1], also known as the true or medicinal aloe, is a species of succulent plant in the genus Aloe that is believed to have originated in the Sudan.[citation needed] Aloe vera grows in arid climates and is widely distributed in Africa, India, and other arid areas. The species is frequently cited as being used in herbal medicine. Many scientific studies of the use of extracts of Aloe vera have been undertaken, some of them conflicting.[2][3][4][5] Despite these limitations, there is some preliminary evidence that Aloe vera extracts may be useful in the treatment of wound and burn healing, minor skin infections, Sebaceous cyst, diabetes, and elevated blood lipids in humans.[4] These positive effects are thought to be due to the presence of compounds such as polysaccharides, mannans, anthraquinones, and lectins.[4][6][7] Aloe vera is a stemless or very short-stemmed succulent[->0] plant growing to 60–100 cm (24–39 in) tall,spreading by offsets[->1]. The leaves are thick and fleshy, green to grey-green, with some varieties showing white flecks on the upper and lower stem surfaces.[8] The margin of the leaf is serrated[->2] and has small white teeth. The flowers[->3] are produced in summer on a spike up to 90 cm (35 in) tall, each flower pendulous, with a yellow tubular corolla[->4] 2–3 cm (0.8–1.2 in) long.[8][9] Like other Aloe species, Aloe vera forms arbuscular mycorrhiza[->5], a symbiosis[->6] that allows the plant better access to mineral[->7] nutrients in soil.[10]
Distribution
The natural range of Aloe vera is unclear, as the species has been widely cultivated throughout the world. Naturalised stands of the species occur in the southern half of the Arabian peninsula[->8], through North Africa (Morocco[->9], Mauritania[->10], Egypt[->11]) as well as Sudan[->12] and neighbouring countries, along with the Canary[->13], Cape Verde[->14], and Madeira Islands[->15].[11] This distribution is somewhat similar to the one of Euphorbia