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From: larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman)
Newsgroups: sci.bio,sci.chem,misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Aloe, Aloe...
Summary: More on the usefulness of aloe (long, but should be informative)
Message-ID: <4198@kitty.UUCP>
Date: 25 Nov 90 22:54:46 GMT
References: <2144@ac.dal.ca> <4188@kitty.UUCP> <15037@cs.utexas.edu>
Organization: Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, NY
Lines: 121

In article <15037@cs.utexas.edu>, turpin@cs.utexas.edu (Russell Turpin) writes:
> >> I am curious about the nature of the chemical in Aloe plants 
> >> that has healing qualities.
> 
> In article <4188@kitty.UUCP> larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman) writes:
> > I am not aware of any "healing" properties of aloe, other than
> > to promote defecation. ...
> 
> The sap in aloe leaves is a folk remedy for burns.

	I am fully aware that I may be stepping on sacred ground by speaking
out against a folk remedy... :-)

	There are serious questions about the efficacy of aloe in any
application other than as a cathartic.

	Aloe is an *irritant*.  It has an incredibly bitter and pungent
taste.  Aloe was formerly used in topical preparations intended to break
a child of thumb sucking by imparting a bitter taste to the skin.  When
formerly used as a cathartic, aloe was contraindicated in the presence
of hemorrhoids due to its irritating effect upon broken skin and mucous
membranes.

	Aloe was used as a topical salve during the nineteenth century.
It was eventually discovered that when aloe was applied to open wounds,
it was absorbed by the body and its cathartic actions took effect.  As
a result, the use of aloe as a salve greatly diminished.  Nineteenth
century patients with serious wounds had enough trouble without having
to make frequent trips to the commode. :-)

> It quickly
> soaks into the damaged flesh, cools, and relieves the pain.
> (From a subjective viewpoint, it works great!)  Whether it is 
> just because it is an aqueous solution of the right consistency,
> or because of other active ingredients, I know not. 

	I am aware of one product on the market containing aloe and
intended as a minor burn ointment.  It is called "Dermaide Aloe Cream"
and manufactured by Dermaide Research Corp. (I believe it is their
only product, but I am not certain).

	While Dermaide claims that aloe is the "active" ingredient, the
"inactive" ingredients are rather interesting, to wit: mineral oil,
stearic acid, petrolatum, cetyl alcohol, glycerin, triethanolamine,
propylparaben, methylparaben and imidazolidinyl urea.

	All of the "minor burn ointment" effects can be explained *solely*
by the "inactive" ingredients!  In fact, the inactive ingredients (sans aloe)
are almost the same formulation used in the minor burn and wound cream
marketed by Vaseline in a plastic tube.  Hmmm...  Consider that:

1.	The soothing effects on mild burns result from the mineral oil,
	petrolatum (i.e., the primary constituent of Vaseline), glycerine
	and cetyl alcohol.

2.	The antiseptic effects result from the methylparaben and
	propylparaben.

3.	The stearic acid and triethanolamine combine to form a mild soap
	which facilitates removal of dead skin, dried secretions and foreign
	matter.

4.	The imidazolidinyl urea repells any insects. :-)

	If Dermaide Aloe Cream works for you, then by all means buy it.
I am merely trying to point out that from a scientific standpoint the
efficacy of the aloe should be questioned in this application.

	An important point to realize is that many consumer products
containing "special" ingredients (like aloe, lanolin, etc.) contain only
a *minimum* amount necessary to satisfy FDA and FTC labeling requirements,
with such minimum amount being unlikely to exhibit any significant effect.
Unless, of course, one believes in the principles of homeopathy which
hold that "less is best". :-)

	Consider a product containing both aloe and lanolin, such as
Jergens "Aloe & Lanolin Skin Conditioning Bar" soap.  Against all reason,
my wife prefers this over other bar soaps. :-)  The FDA requires that
ingredients be listed on (non-exempt) soap and cosmetic products in
order of *decreasing* percentage composition.  Therefore, the first
ingredient listed is present in the greatest quantity.  In the particular
case of this Jergens product the ingredients are:

1.	sodium tallowate		soap
2.	sodium cocoate			soap
3.	water				common formulation base
4.	stearic acid			the *effective* skin conditioner
5.	sodium cocoyl isethionate	surfactant
6.	fragrance
7.	glycerin			emollient
8.	aloe vera gel
9.	lanolin
10.	sodium chloride			emulsion control agent
11.	titanium dioxide		pigment
12.	BHT [butyl hydroxytoluene]	antioxidant and antifungal agent
13.	tetrasodium EDTA		chelating agent for soap scum

	According to the above ingredient listing, there is *less* aloe
and lanolin in this soap than fragrance!  Doesn't sound like enough aloe
or lanolin to be really effective, does it?

	It is also rather interesting that on the Jergens package there
is not one word about what function the aloe and lanolin is alleged to
perform!  Rather honest and clever of Jergens, huh? :-) 

	In my original article I was primarily dealing with the use of
aloe as an additive to soap and cosmetic products.  The efficacy of aloe
in burn preparations notwithstanding, I know of *NO* possible benefit
for the inclusion of aloe in any soap or cosmetic preparation.  With
the possible exception, of course, of allowing a manufacturer to appeal
to gullible consumers and charge more $$ for the product. :-)

	I am not trying to discourage any reader from buying soap and
cosmetic products containing aloe, or from cutting up an aloe plant
leaf for a home remedy.  If it makes you happy or feel good, then by
all means do it.  I am just trying to provide a little information
for some readers to use in making an informed decision.

Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp.  "Have you hugged your cat today?"
VOICE: 716/688-1231   {boulder, rutgers, watmath}!ub!kitty!larry
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