Recipe
Cape aloe leaf gel for the skin
- Herb:
- Cape aloe Aloe ferox
- Method:
- Poultice / compress
- Plant part:
- Leaf
About 15 minBeginnerRecipe science profile
Procedure
- Cut a lower leaf at the base and stand it cut-side down in a glass for 15 minutes so the yellow bitter sap drains.
- Rinse the leaf, trim the spines along the edges and slice the rind off both sides with a knife.
- Rinse the translucent gel under running water, dice it and blend to a smooth mass.
- Apply a thin layer to the skin and let it dry; keep the rest in the fridge for 5 days at most.
Extraction
- Herb:
- 1 spodní list (asi 30 cm) na několik aplikací
- Solvent:
- žádné — čirý gel se vyřízne z listu, hořká šťáva se nechá odtéct
- Shelf life:
- 3–5 dní v lednici
- Target compounds:
- polysacharidy gelu (acemanan) zůstávají, žlutý latex s aloinem se odděluje
Notes
External use on intact skin only (sunburn, dry skin). The yellow sap under the rind irritates and stains — let it drain and rinse the gel. Never swallow home-made gel: latex residues are laxative.
Why it works
A Cape aloe leaf has two parts with opposite effects: the yellow latex from the bundles under the rind holds anthraquinones (aloin) and is the official laxative (Aloe capensis), while the clear inner pith holds polysaccharides (acemannan) that retain water on the skin. The review by Chen et al. 2012 summarises anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effects of the gel mostly from animal models; controlled human studies with the gel of this particular species are lacking, so the catalogue lists external use as traditional.
Literature
- Chen W, Van Wyk BE, Vermaak I, Viljoen AM (2012): Cape aloes—A review of the phytochemistry, pharmacology and commercialisation of Aloe ferox. Phytochemistry Letters 5(1):1–12 — Přehled složení listové šťávy i gelu a tradičních použití.
Related
Cape aloe — Herb card
Poultice / compress — Processing method detail