By Isidore Kouwonou, Reporting from BBC Afrique, 20 April 2025
Dem dey use am for cosmetics as moisturizing active ingredient.
Di gel get many benefits for dry skin. Aloe vera na incredible plant wit plenty benefits for di body, and e also dey widely used for pharmaceutical and food industries.
Hélène Ahonssou, wey already get three children, tell BBC Afrique say she learn about di benefits of dis plant from her grandmother, wey bin always get some under her bed.
“Dis plant get incredible benefits wey I don benefit from a lot, especially afta I give birth,” she tok.
In fact, di young lady bin tell us say during her pregnancy, stretch marks appear on her skin, especially on di soles of her feet. And dat bin worry her well-well.
But on a visit to my grandmother, she show me aloe vera and how to use im gooey pulp as ointment, wey I use rub especially on di areas wia I bin get stretch marks”.
Today, she point out, “di skin on my stomach and legs remain incredibly smooth despite my three deliveries. Na sometin wey you no dey always see in mothers my age”.
Di 39-year-old still dey use dis plant in di preparation of certain cosmetic products wey she recommend for pipo, especially women and dia hair.
Dem don dey use aloe vera for centuries sake of di benefits, especially im medicinal properties.
In recent years, e bin get increase in interest for dis plant, sake of di natural products dem dey get from am.
Wetin be aloe vera and wetin be di benefits wey pipo dey tok so much about?
Wetin be aloe vera?
From im scientific name aloe barbadensis Miller, aloe vera na plant wey belong to di Liliaceae botanical family.
Although some believe say di plant bin originate from Egypt or di Middle East, e dey naturally cultivated around di world today, especially for dry regions.
“My grandmother get aloe vera for her garden in Aneho, e no far from Lomé.
Na plant wey dey grow quickly if you take good care of am,” Hélène Ahonssou tok.
Na medicinal plant wey popular for im composition and therapeutic virtues, long recognized by various medicines and civilizations.
E fit dey recognized by im long, fleshy leaves, wey contain highly prized, clear, mucilaginous, sticky pulp wey pipo dey use as food.
Afta dem process am small.
According to Dr Mathieu Kponou Tobossi, a nutritionist wey specialize in food hygiene and quality, wey also be expert for Dieto-phytotherapy, di virtues of dis plant dey derive from im viscous, mucilaginous gel wey dey di thick, pointed leaves, measure 30-50 cm and mostly toothed.
Di plant also get one yellow latex wey dey extracted from di outer layer of im leaves, and many don make am indoor plant.
Composition
Aloe vera leaves contain two essential substances. Dis substances dey different and get important therapeutic properties. Di first na di latex wey dey di outer layer of di leaves. Dis na yellow, bitter sap wey dey di channels of di bark.
Den e get dis gel made of clear mucilage wey dey di large leaves. Di gel softens and smoothes skin tissue.
According to Dr Mathieu Tobossi, aloe vera leaves dey packed wit vitamins, minerals, amino acids and bioactive compounds like phenolics and polysaccharides.
Dis plant na vitamin and antioxidant goldmine. E contain vitamins A, C and E, wey all dey known for dia antioxidant properties. Vitamin B12 also present.
A host of minerals and trace elements also dey present, including calcium, magnesium, zinc and selenium. Lysine, valine and isoleucine na amino acids wey e contain.
Na plant wit many properties.
Therapeutic properties
Di many therapeutic properties of aloe vera make am ideal, exceptional and highly prized plant.
Dis marvel get five outstanding properties.
1. Healing, antimicrobial and regenerative action on di skin
E get dermatological action by local use on external lesions. “Thanks to im above-mentioned bioactive compounds combined wit anti-inflammatory ones, dis plant dey accelerate di healing of burns, wounds and sunburns”, Dr Tobossi emphasize.
E dey also moisturize di skin and reduce acne through im antibacterial effect against di germ Propionibacterium acnes. According to di doctor, a review of 4 experimental studies bin find say Aloe Vera fit reduce burn healing time by around 9 days compared wit conventional drugs.
“Im anti-wrinkle effects come from di local application of di gel, wey bin increase collagen production and improved skin elasticity over a 90-day period. Anoda study also reveal say Aloe Vera dey reduce erythema, i.e. redness of di skin.
Di founder and Director of NFS Togo Research Center also point out say aloe vera na antifungal and antibacterial properties wey fit help eliminate dandruff from di hair. Aloe vera gel on di scalp help stimulate blood circulation, promote hair growth.
Wetin dey more, im natural enzymes also dey help rid di scalp of dead cells, promote healthy environment wey dey good for hair growth. In di event of hair loss sake of stress or oda factors, aloe vera fit be valuable remedy.
2. Boost di immune system
Aloe vera also get immune-modulating properties thanks to acemannan, wey get antibacterial, antiviral and antitumor activity, and antioxidant properties thanks to im high content of vitamins (A, C, E), minerals and polyphenols.
Di presence of complex sugars such as polysaccharides dey help communication between immune cells, di doctor note.
“As example of im anti-microbial action, one study on dental plaque show say Aloe Vera dey reduce dental plaque, source of tooth decay and gum disease. For one bath study of mouthwash on 300 healthy pipo, a 100% pure Aloe Vera juice dey compared to di normal mouthwash of Chlorhexidine. Afta four days of use, Aloe Vera just dey as effective as Chlorhexidine to reduce plaque,” Dr Mathieu Kponou Tobossi tok.
E add say anoda study show similar benefits of Aloe Vera as mouthwash wen e dey used over a period of 15 to 30 days. Aloe Vera dey kill di plaque-producing bacteria Streptococcus mutans in di mouth, as well as di yeast Candida albicans.
3. Internal regenerative and pain-relieving action
According to di expert Dieto-phytotherapist,
Aloe Vera don convincingly demonstrate im effectiveness on mouth ulcers sake of mouth ulcers. Dis ulcers wey usually form under di lip, in di mouth, and last for around seven-10 days.
“For one seven-day study of 180 pipo wit recurrent mouth ulcers, one Aloe Vera patch for di area dey effective to reduce di size of di ulcers. In anoda study, Aloe Vera gel no only dey accelerate di healing of mouth ulcers, but also reduce di associated pain,” e tok.
4. A digestive action
Aloin or barbaloin, one substance wey dem dey find in di latex (di yellow part under di leaf) of Aloe vera, dey recognised as one of di best natural laxatives. Aloe vera diafore dey recommended for constipation.
Di mucilaginous gel also dey shown to soothe gastric discomfort, di doctor tok.
5. Regulates glycaemia and cholesterol levels
Aloe Vera sometimes dey used to one traditional remedy for diabetes, according to Dr Tobossi. Di plant dey said to improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar management.
Several animal and human studies on type 2 diabetics dey found to get promising results from di consumption of Aloe Vera extract, according to am.
“E don also dey reported to reduce LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
Dangers and side effects of aloe vera
Aloe vera na highly prized plant. However, according to Dr Mathieu Tobossi, although di benefits of dis plant dey widely recognised, risks also dey wey associate wit im use.
1. Latex (Aloin) toxicity
According to di specialist, latex don dey reported to cause abdominal cramps, severe diarrhoea and electrolyte imbalances (hypokalaemia). ‘A contraindication for di risk of miscarriage in pregnant women also don dey reported’.
2. Liver toxicity
Dr Tobossi inform say some reported cases of liver damage wit long-term ingestion of Aloe Vera supplements dey.
3. Drug Interactions
In im opinion, risk of hypoglycaemia dey sake of di potentiation of di effects of hypoglycaemic drugs.
“One worsening of hypokalaemia (loss of potassium) don dey reported. Dis na sake of one interaction between Aloe Vera and diuretic and corticosteroid drugs”, di doctor wey specialise in food hygiene and quality tok.
4. Allergies and skin reactions
Although Aloe Vera dey highly recommended for di skin, some pipo dey allergic to im. Contact dermatitis (redness, itching) don dey reported in sensitive individuals.
“E dey advisable to avoid to dey apply Aloe Vera to surgical wounds.
5. Carcinogenic risk (Prolonged use of Latex)
Aloin dey classified as “possibly carcinogenic”, according to Group 2B of di International Agency for Research on Cancer, for di event of chronic consumption.
Caution
As you fit see, Aloe vera don prove therapeutic benefits. But im use need dey cautious and informed, according to Dr Mathieu Kponou Tobossi.
For am, e dey necessary to :
- Prefer pure gel (without aloin) for cutaneous or internal use.
- Avoid latex (toxic risk) and consult doctor if you dey take medication.
- Contraindications: Pregnancy, children, kidney and/or liver disease.
Dis article no be substitute for medical examination specialist. Please consult a doctor before you use aloe vera.
Story from BBC News Pidgin
