Common Name:

General Information

Aloe officinalis is an evergreen, succulent, perennial plant forming a rosette of leaves, The leaves can be up to 70cm long and 12cm wide at the base. The plant suckers to form dense clumps of growth.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local medicinal use. It is cultivated for medicinal use of the leaves in Somalia[].

Known Hazards

The sap of Aloe species contains anthraquinones. These compounds have several beneficial medicinal actions, particularly as a laxative, and many species of Aloe are thus employed in traditional medicine. Whilst safe in small doses and for short periods of time, anthraquinones do have potential problems if used in excess. These include congestion and irritation of the pelvic organs[]. Long term use of anthraquinone laxatives may also play a role in development of colorectal cancer as they have genotoxic potential, and tumorigenic potential[].

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - Somalia to Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

Habitat

Not known

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Perennial
Height	0.60 m
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in full sun and in light shade[]. Requires a well-drained soil. Established plants are drought tolerant[].
Aloe species follow the Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). CAM plants can fix carbon dioxide at night and photosynthesize with closed stomata during the day, thus minimizing water loss. This, plus their succulent leaves and stems, and the presence of a thick cuticle, makes them well adapted to dry conditions[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The plant has various medicinal uses[]. We have no further information, other than it is cultivated in Somalia for medicinal use. It is likely to be used in similar ways to Aloe vera (a species it was once considered to be part of)[].

The distinctive constituents in Aloe leaves are phenolic compounds, including chromone, anthraquinone or anthrone derivatives. Some of the compounds are found in many species, whereas others occur in only a few[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - we have no specific information on this species - in general Aloes are sown in a sandy, well-drained potting soil in a warm, shady position in standard seed trays. Germination takes about three weeks. Cover the seed with a thin layer of sand (1 - 2mm), keep moist. The seedlings can be planted out in individual bags or containers as soon as they are large enough to handle[].

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