Aloes have long been used by native people as both health and beauty aids. Aloe vera is the most commonly used today. Although a native of southern Africa, today aloe vera is primarily grown in the West Indies and the American Southwest. The mineral and active ingredient profile of aloe vera is as follows. The principle ingredients in addition to water include aloin, isobarbaloin, ester of cinnamic acid, ethereal oil, emoding lucosides of d-Arabinose, barbaloin, emodin, resitannol, cinnamic acid.
Inorganic ingredients are calcium, chlorine, sodium, potassium, manganese.
Monosaccharides and polysaccharides include glucose, mannose and uronic acid. Aloe vera also contains 18 amino acids. Two major products are derived from the aloe vera plant. This juice is the source of the aloe, which is a harsh purgative. The other product is obtained from the fleshy interior of the plant.