Important: This is not medical advice
This page is for general information only. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose, treat or cure anything. Herbs are complementary support, not replacements for prescribed medicine.
- Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using any herb, tea or supplement, especially if you take medicine, are pregnant or nursing, have a health condition, or are planning surgery.
- Do not stop or change any prescribed medicine on your own.
- Get emergency care right away (call 911) for serious symptoms such as chest pain, trouble breathing, signs of a stroke, severe allergic reaction, heavy bleeding, confusion, or thoughts of harming yourself.
← Natural Healing: Herbs & Home Remedies (all 15 herbs)
Aloe vera
Aloe barbadensis miller
- Traditional use
- A succulent whose clear leaf gel has been used on the skin for sunburn and minor burns for generations.
- How people take it
- Clear gel from the leaf or store-bought aloe gel applied to the skin. Aloe latex and whole-leaf extracts are sometimes swallowed as laxatives.
- What the evidence shows
- NIH NCCIH notes that aloe gel on the skin may help with minor burns and sunburn, and evidence for other skin uses is mixed. Evidence for swallowing aloe for other conditions is limited.
- Cautions and interactions
- Skin products are usually well tolerated, though some people get a rash. Swallowing aloe latex or whole-leaf extract can cause cramps and diarrhea, and NCCIH advises against oral use of non-decolorized whole-leaf extract. Oral aloe may lower blood sugar, so it matters with diabetes medicines, and its laxative effect can lower potassium, which matters with heart medicines such as digoxin and with diuretics. Do not use it on deep or serious burns or wounds.
More herbs
Where to read more
The information here was written for this site as a plain-language overview. For current, detailed and regularly reviewed information, check the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Mayo Clinic, which both have herb and supplement fact sheets. Your pharmacist can also check your medicines for interactions. Research changes over time, so these sources are always the better place to confirm the latest guidance.
Important: This is not medical advice
This page is for general information only. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose, treat or cure anything. Herbs are complementary support, not replacements for prescribed medicine.
- Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using any herb, tea or supplement, especially if you take medicine, are pregnant or nursing, have a health condition, or are planning surgery.
- Do not stop or change any prescribed medicine on your own.
- Get emergency care right away (call 911) for serious symptoms such as chest pain, trouble breathing, signs of a stroke, severe allergic reaction, heavy bleeding, confusion, or thoughts of harming yourself.
