Aloe vera

Aloe vera is a desert succulent plant, which produces a soothing gel used to calm skin pain and nerve flares. The gel is extracted from the leaves of the plant and is often included in cosmetics and topical creams. Aloe vera is used in traditional medicine as a skin treatment.

It is a component of The Cusack Protocol, a proposed alternative treatment for Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

Components
Aloe contains more than 75 potential active components including vitamins, enzymes, minerals, sugars, lignin, saponins, salicylic acids and amino acids.

Tissue healing
The Glucomannan, a mannose-rich polysaccharide, and gibberellin, a growth hormone, found in aloe interact with growth factor receptors on fibroblasts, a type of cell that synthesizes collagen and extracellular matrix. This can significantly increase collagen synthesis, whether applied topically or taken orally.

Other applications

Applied topically, aloe vera has been used to prevent UV damage. It also has anti-inflammatory, immune modulating, and antiviral effects.