Review on Medicinal Value of Aloe Vera in Veterinary Practice

Aloe vera is a plant with height of almost 60-100cm containing very short stem or stem-less long leaves and belongs to the family Asphodelaceae. The aloe vera or succulent has a long history of being used for medicinal purposes, dating back to ancient Egypt. Aloe species are widely distributed in the African and the eastern European continents, and are spread almost throughout the world. The plant leaves contains numerous vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, natural sugars and other bioactive compounds with emollient, purgative, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antifungal, antiseptic and cosmetic values for health care. The leaves of Aloe barbadensis are the source of two different products with medicinal properties: a yellow latex-like juice obtained from the cells just beneath the epidermis of the leaves with laxative properties and the parenchyma, the inner part of the leaves consisting of a mucilaginous gel. Aloe vera leaves are typically subjected to a series of processing techniques including: Reception of raw material, Filtration, Hot processing and flash cooling, Cold processing, Addition of preservatives and stabilizers and Storage.