Page 319 - Pharmacognosy 2 PG303

Pharmacognosy-2 (PG303) Level 2 Clinical Pharmacy-Pharm D

most important dried juices are Aloe (Aloes) and Kino. Aloes is official in the
Egyptian Pharmacopoeia.

Aloe

Syn.: Aloes; Aloe

Aloes is the solid residue obtained by evaporating the liquid which drains from
the cut leaves of Aloe ferox Miller and its hybrids, known in commerce as Cape
Aloes, or of A. vera Lin. (= A. barbadensis Miller), known in commerce as Curaçao
Aloes, or of A. Perryi Baker, known in commerce as Socotrine or Zanzibar Aloes
(Fam. Liliaceae, Asphodeloideae).

Plants of this genus are indigenous to eastern and southern Africa. The species
spread to the Mediterranean basin and reached the West Indies and Europe. The
aloes are typical xerophytic plants with fleshy leaves, usually having spines at the
margins.

Aloe perryi grows on the Island of Socotra, in east Africa, and in Arabia. The
plant is a perennial herb having a rosette of about 20 leaves from 30-40 cm long and
from 5-7 cm in diameter at the base. The leaves are cut, and the juice from the cut
end is allowed to drip into new or used, clean gasoline cans where it evaporated
spontaneously to give Socotrine or Zanzibar Aloes.

Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) is a native of northern Africa but was introduced
into the Barbados Islands and into Curaçao. The leaves are cut in March and April
and placed cut-end downward in a V-shaped trough, the latter being inclined so that
the juice may be led into a vessel. The juice is evaporated in a copper kettle and
when of the proper consistency is poured into gasoline cans and allowed to harden.
At the present time the principal areas of production of Curaçao Aloe are
Venezuela, Curaçao, and South Africa.

Cape Aloe, from Aloe ferox Miller and its hybrids is exported from Cape
colony and is largely used in veterinary practice.

Description
Cape Aloes: occurs in dark brown or greenish-brown glassy masses, often

covered with a yellowish powder; in thin fragments, it is transparent and exhibits a
yellowish, reddish-brown or greenish tinge; fracture, smooth, even, and glassy;
odour, characteristic and disagree-able; taste, somewhat sour, nauseous and very
bitter. Curaçao Aloes: occurs in dark chocolate-brown usually opaque masses;
fracture, dull waxy, uneven and frequently conchoidal; odour, characteristic and
disagreeable; taste, nauseous and very bitter. Socotrine Aloes: occurs in hard, dark

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