Aloe vera, Barbadensis vel Socotrina. N.O.Liliaceae A tincture is made from the inspissated juice of the leaves.
PATHOGENESIS.
ALOES affects the alimentary canal from the pharynx to the anus, missing the small intestine but involving the live. In medicinal (aperient) doses it produces catarrh of the naso- pharynx, shown by the secretion of lumps of mucus, and increase of appetite and the flow of gastric juice and bile. The muscular coats of the large intestine, especially the caecum, are stimulated somewhat irregularly, giving rise to cutting pains in the lower abdomen. In the rectum tenesmus and piles are caused. Actual diarrhoea may be induced, but a soft, formed action is the usual result of a moderate aperient dose. It is not a hydragogue purgative.
Aloes also increases the menstrual flow and is liable top set up uterine contractions, causing dysmenorrhoea.
The various effects of this drug are produced however it is introduced, even if injected subcutaneously. In aperient doses it should not be given in cases of haemorrhoids, diarrhoea, menorrhagia, or in pregnancy.
In minute doses, of course, it will be useful in all these conditions.
The homoeopathic provings precisionize and extend the information furnished by substantial doses. They show that the symptoms named are associated with a dull accompanied by nausea. In the liver region are heat and a feeling of weight and fulness, and the abdomen is distended with flatulence and is sore to the touch. The loose action is yellow or pasty, or thin and excoriating, and the call is sudden, or it may be preceded by rumbling and griping; a sense of insecurity of sphincter-control is present with the griping and tenesmus. There may also be the same sense of insecurity with regard to micturition. Sore, swollen piles may protrude from the anus with each stool; there is burning and fulness in the rectum, completely relieved for a time by an action of the bowels.
The effect of the drug extends to the urinary organs and may induce frequent micturition with hot, scanty urine. and after large doses even haematuria. A deposit of urates is common. Backache relieved by moving about is an accompaniment of the pelvic congestion.
Jaundice may result, with itching of the skin and with boils.
The ordinary use of aloes is as an aperient in chronic constipation. A pill is made of one grain of the extract, of half a grain of aloin usually combined with hyoscyamus to prevent griping. The dose does not require to be regularly increased, with most aperients.
THERAPEUTICS.
diarrhoea:- The chief homoeopathic use of the drug is in diarrhoea which, when typical of aloes, has a three fold feature- it disturbs the patient early, before his usual time of rising, m it is urgent and there is weakness of the sphincter. The abdomen feels full to bursting. Liquid faces may escape while the patient is passing flatus or urine. The bowels are liable to be moved soon after eating or drinking. Flatus passed is offensive and causes burning in the anus, and its passage is often accompanied by pumps of mucus and blood. Blood-stained mucus with straining, offensive flatus, abdominal tenderness and rumbling, with weakness and early morning aggravation, suggest the use of aloes in dysentery. The counterpart of the physiological increase of appetite is, clinically, hunger during diarrhoea. An oozing of blood may occur from several other mucous surfaces than the intestinal.
The piles requiring aloes are full, bluish, tender, itching, and liable to bleed. They are relieved by cold applications.
Headache is a common accompaniment; it is frontal, extending to the nose and eyes, causing a desire to close the eyes; it is made worse by heat and by every footstep (cf.bellad., berberis, bry.), and is relieved by cold bathing. It may alternate with backache.
Colic may occur, felt most in the region of the umbilicus, especially before and during stool. These attacks are often [receded by constipation, with which the diarrhoea described may alternate, or the loose motion may contain small hard lumps. In either case complete relief for a time occurs after evacuation, as with nux vomica cases, but contrary to those requiring merc. corr. Sometimes quantities of jelly-like mucus are passed without a stool. After stool faintness may occur.
An unusual symptom is attributed to aloes, namely, involuntary and unconscious evacuation of hard, constipated lumps of faeces, especially in children. If it is met with, this drug should be considered.
The menstrual flow of aloes is excessive, dark and clotted, and is associated with sacral pain, relieved by moving. The patient sometimes complains of a lump of fulness between the symphysis and coccyx, which may have its origin either in the bladder, the vagina or the rectum. This symptom has led to the use of aloes in uterine prolapse. The backache is not necessarily limited to the menstrual period; it may alternate with headache.
Involvement of the hepatic circulation is indicated by the jaundice, headache, thick dark urine,. discomfort in the region of the liver, worse, worse on standing, griping pains relieved by sitting bent, and pains in the orbits with yellow spots before the eyes (cina). In those cases a skin irritation like dry eczema with cracks may be present, especially in the autumn; the skin is dry and hot.
All mucous membranes tend to secrete much jelly-like mucus.
Aloes is specially indicated if with the foregoing local symptoms there is general weariness and aversion to mental or physical effort, or even prostration after exertion. Or, in place of this phlegmatic state, the patient may be irritable and discontented, especially if constipation and the hepatic symptoms described are present; or during attacks of pain.
LEADING INDICATION
(1) Diarrhoea, urgent in the early morning, with loss of sphincter control, after eating and drinking.
(2) Abdominal distension and tenderness with rumbling.
(3) Passing of flatus or urine accompanied by escape of liquid stool (4) Tenesmus and blood-stained mucus. (5) Protruding piles with burning and intense itching, relieved by cold applications.
(6) Hepatic symptoms with headache, relieved in open air and by cold applications.
(7) Heat of skin surfaces without fever, especially feet.
(8) Patients with abdominal plethora and portal congestion. Indolent and averse from mental or physical exertion’ dissatisfied with themselves.
AGGRAVATION:
Warmth. From a sedentary life; in hot dry whether; in the early morning (diarrhoea); from eating or drinking (diarrhoea); from each footstep (headache); standing or walking (except backache), and towards the menopause, when constipated (mental symptoms).
AMELIORATION:
From stool or passing wind (abdominal and rectal symptoms); From moving about (backache); from open air and cold weather and from cold applications (head and piles).
Edwin Awdas Neatby founded the Missionary School of Homeopathy and the London Homeopathic Hospital in 1903, and run by the British Homeopathic Association. He died in East Grinstead, Sussex, on the 1st December 1933. Edwin Awdas Neatby wrote The place of operation in the treatment of uterine fibroids, Modern developments in medicine, Pleural effusions in children, Manual of Homoeo Therapeutics,