Aloe Vera

© Steven Foster

This fact sheet provides basic information about aloe vera—common 

names, what the science says, potential side effects and cautions, and 

resources for more information.

Common Names—aloe vera, aloe, burn plant, lily of the desert, 

elephant’s gall

Latin Names—Aloe vera, Aloe barbadensis

Aloe vera’s use can be traced back 6,000 years to early Egypt, where the 

plant was depicted on stone carvings. Known as the “plant of 

immortality,” aloe was presented as a burial gift to deceased pharaohs.

Historically, aloe was used topically to heal wounds and for various 

skin conditions, and orally as a laxative. Today, in addition to these 

uses, aloe is used as a folk or traditional remedy for a variety of 

conditions, including diabetes, asthma, epilepsy, and osteoarthritis. It is 

also used topically for osteoarthritis, burns, sunburns, and psoriasis. 

Aloe vera gel can be found in hundreds of skin products, including

lotions and sunblocks. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has 

approved aloe vera as a natural food flavoring.

Aloe leaves contain a clear gel that is often used as a topical ointment. 

The green part of the leaf that surrounds the gel can be used to produce 

a juice or a dried substance (called latex) that is taken by mouth.

What the Science Says 

• Aloe latex contains strong laxative compounds. Products made with 

various components of aloe (aloin, aloe-emodin, and barbaloin) 

were at one time regulated by the FDA as oral over-the-counter 

(OTC) laxatives. In 2002, the FDA required that all OTC aloe laxative 

products be removed from the U.S. market or reformulated because 

the companies that manufactured them did not provide the 

necessary safety data.

• Early studies show that topical aloe gel may help heal burns and 

abrasions. One study, however, showed that aloe gel inhibits 

healing of deep surgical wounds. Aloe gel has not been shown to 

prevent burns from radiation therapy.

• There is not enough scientific evidence to support aloe vera for any 

of its other uses.
Side Effects and Cautions 

• Use of topical aloe vera is not associated with significant side effects.

• A 2-year National Toxicology Program (NTP) study on oral consumption of non-decolorized 

whole leaf extract of aloe vera found clear evidence of carcinogenic activity in male and female 

rats, based on tumors of the large intestine. According to the NTP, from what is known right now 

there is nothing that would lead them to believe that these findings are not relevant to humans. 

However, more information, including how individuals use different types of aloe vera products, 

is needed to determine the potential risks to humans.

• Abdominal cramps and diarrhea have been reported with oral use of aloe vera.

• Diarrhea, caused by the laxative effect of oral aloe vera, can decrease the absorption of many drugs.

• People with diabetes who use glucose-lowering medication should be cautious if also taking aloe 

by mouth because preliminary studies suggest aloe may lower blood glucose levels.

• There have been a few case reports of acute hepatitis from aloe vera taken orally. However, the 

evidence is not definitive.

• Tell all your health care providers about any complementary health practices you use. Give them 

a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe 

care. For tips about talking with your health care providers about complementary and alternative 

medicine, see NCCAM’s Time to Talk campaign at nccam.nih.gov/timetotalk/. 

Sources

Aloe. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Web site. Accessed at www.naturaldatabase.com on May 4, 2009.

Aloe (Aloe vera). Natural Standard Database Web site. Accessed at www.naturalstandard.com on May 4, 2009.

National Toxicology Program. Aloe Vera. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Web site. Accessed at 

http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/aloe_vera_fact_sheet.pdf on April 5, 2012.

For More Information

Visit the NCCAM Web site at nccam.nih.gov and view Using Dietary Supplements Wisely

(nccam.nih.gov/health/supplements/wiseuse.htm).

NCCAM Clearinghouse

Toll-free in the U.S.: 1-888-644-6226

TTY (for deaf and hard-of-hearing callers): 1-866-464-3615

E-mail: info@nccam.nih.gov

PubMed®

Web site: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

To learn more about NIEHS’s National Toxicology Program technical report on a nondecolorized whole leaf extract of aloe vera 

visit http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/interviews/aloevera/index.cfm. 

NIH Office of Dietary Supplements

Web site: www.ods.od.nih.gov

NIH National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus

Aloe Listing: www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/607.html

This publication is not copyrighted and is in the public domain. Duplication is encouraged.

NCCAM has provided this material for your information. It is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice 

of your primary health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with your health 

care provider. The mention of any product, service, or therapy is not an endorsement by NCCAM.

National Institutes of Health

♦♦♦

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

D333

Created December 2006

Updated April 2012