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Aloe: The wonder plant

 Fr Anselm Adodo, DAILY SUN - Nigeria


Aloe: The wonder plant 
Aloe is the name given to a variety of perennials of the Liliaceae/Aloeaceae family. There are over 325 species in this genus. Aloe ferox,Aloe perryi, Aloe barteri, called West African Aloe, and Aloe Barbadensis, also called Aloe Vera, are the better known species.


Aloe Vera has been in much use from time immemorial. Wall paintings of Ancient Egypt showed that Aloe Vera was used by the Egyptians to treat catarrh. Among the Jewish people, Aloe Vera was used as an ingredient for embalming. The body of Jesus was wrapped with linen soaked in myrrh and Aloes.

Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus' body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. (Jn. 19: 39-40).
Aloe Vera, a native of southern and northern Africa, came to Greece in the 4th century BC, to China in the 10th century AD and finally to Europe in the 11th century AD. Even though there are many species, they all have similar constituents, namely: Antraquinone, Glycosides, Aloin, Resin, etc.


Aloe Vera is the most common species of Aloes found in Nigeria today. This species grows well in flowerpots. It needs a balanced measure of sunshine and water to survive. It does not grow very tall, (1-4 feet), is light green in colour with white spotted. It is good to remember that there are many species of Aloes. One should therefore not be surprised to see Aloes of different shapes, colour or texture. The West African Aloe (Aloe barteri) has very broad; succulent leaves and bright red flowers, which can grow as high as seven feet.
Since Aloe Vera grows so quickly, it should be planted in every compound. I have seen this plant growing in flowerpots in many compounds as an ornament. In some compounds, the plant is abandoned and starved of water. Surely, Aloe Vera deserves more honour and loving care. Below are some of the medicinal values of Aloe Vera, the miracle plant.

CANCER:
A lot of research has been and is being done on the effectiveness of Aloe Vera for curing cancer, especially cancer of the breast. I challenge our scientists to do more analysis of this wonder plant. Rather than spending useful energies in condemning and suppressing new ideas about health, let our medical health practitioners focus their attention on more intense research of medicinal plants, which can save the life of our people. Some time ago I called one of my doctor friends, an "orthodox" doctor and told him that I would like to discuss cancer with him. He said there was not much to discuss about cancer except, that it is incurable, and so I should not bother to talk of curing cancer with herbs. Must our Nigerian "orthodox" doctors continue to fold their hands and expect their counterparts in Europe and America to do the thinking for them? In using Aloe Vera for the treatment of cancer, one fact to keep in mind is that the older the plant, the more active it is. For the treatment of cancer the plant must be at least five years old. The formula is as follows:

Materials:
A 3 leaves of Aloe Vera
B. 1 bottle of honey
C ½ bottle of dry gin
Recipe Cut the leaves into pieces.
Mix B &C together and use to grind A.
Dosage: 3 tablespoonfuls twice daily for 2 months.

CONSTIPATION:
Constipation is a very dangerous ailment. It is a window for all other diseases. Constipation means an inability of the body to expel waste materials from the system. In constipation, metabolism is very slow, leading to decay of waste materials in the system. Aloe Vera offers hope for those who suffer from this ailment. To treat constipation, cut the root of Aloe Vera plant into pieces. Soak one handful of the root in ½ beer bottle of dry gin for one week. Then add water to fill the bottle. That will give you a full bottle. Dosage is one shot every night. This preparation is not to be taken by pregnant women.

INTESTINAL ULCER:
Aloe Vera is one of the most effective remedies for ulcer that we know of. Since we have so much Aloe Vera plant among us, I feel sad to see so many people still suffering from ulcer. I remember a religious sister who came to me two years ago. She was suffering from a very stubborn peptic ulcer. She had gone to almost every hospital in Nigeria without finding a permanent solution to her problem. She was eventually told that her problem was psychological and psychosomatic. She went to consult a number of psychologists, yet the problem persisted. When she came to me I prepared an Aloe Vera mixture for her as it is prepared for cancer above, the dosage being two tablespoonfuls thrice daily. By the third day most of the symptoms had disappeared. She continued the medication for a month. Since then she has never experienced any of the symptoms. I hope more people will get to know about this wonder plant and avail of the wonderful blessings of nature.

IMPOTENCE:
Impotence is one of those illnesses not spoken about publicly, but which is very common. Whether we face it or not, impotence is a major factor in divorce among married couples today. Once again, Aloe Vera is there to offer hope and life. Cut the root of Aloe Vera into pieces. Remember that the older the plant the more potent it is. Soak two handfuls of the root in one beer bottle of dry gin for ten days. Endeavour to shake the bottle each of those ten days. The dosage is six tablespoonfuls twice or thrice daily, depending on your need. However, do not exceed six tablespoonfuls thrice daily.

SUPPRESSED MENSTRUATION:
Aloe Vera is an effective remedy for all forms of gynaecological problems, especially suppressed menstruation, anovulation and irregular menstruation. For the treatment of all these complaints, Aloe Vera is prepared in the following way:

Materials:
A 4 leaves of Aloe Vera
B 1 beer bottle of honey
C ½ beer bottle of water
D 4 tablespoonfuls of dried, powdered ginger
Recipe: Mix B & C together and use to grind A. Then add D and mix together.
Dosage: 3 tablespoonfuls thrice daily for 1 month

OTHER ILLNESSES:
The beauty of the Aloe Vera plant is that it is useful for so many ailments. It is one of the most potent antibiotics in the world. Apart from the uses mentioned above, Aloe Vera can also be used to cure such illnesses as liver and kidney problems, piles, Eczema, Dandruff, ringworm, Glaucoma. It also has a modulating effect on the HIV virus.
Aloe Vera, the wonder plant, is growing near and around you. Cultivate this plant, care for it and reap the abundant blessings, which God has given us through this plant.

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