Aloe Vera (Kumari) in Ayurveda: Traditional Use, Research and Safety

Aloe vera is the thick, spiky succulent that sits on windowsills across India. In Ayurveda it is known as kumari or ghritkumari, and it is a plant that people meet in three quite different forms: the clear gel, the bitter yellow latex under the skin of the leaf, and bottled juices and capsules that may contain either.

That difference is the key to using this page. The gel, rubbed on skin, is one thing. The latex and whole-leaf extracts swallowed by mouth are another, and the safety notes differ for each. We describe the tradition first, then what the US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) and the LiverTox database say.

What it is

Aloe vera, now classified as Aloe vera (also written Aloe barbadensis), is a succulent of the lily-like family Asphodelaceae. Its thick leaves hold three parts that matter here:

• The clear gel in the centre of the leaf, a watery, slippery substance

• The latex, a bitter yellow-brown fluid found just under the green skin, rich in compounds called anthraquinones that act as strong laxatives

• The green rind between the two

• Sanskrit: kumari (also ghritakumari, a name that refers to its oily, glossy look)

• Hindi: gwarpatha or ghritkumari

• English: aloe vera, sometimes called Indian aloe

• Plant part used: the gel in cosmetics and household use, and the latex in older laxative products

Many commercial products are made from the whole leaf or from a filtered gel. Whether the label says decolourised, aloin-free, whole-leaf or inner-leaf matters, because aloin is one of the anthraquinones in the latex.

The traditional view

Later materia medica such as the Bhavaprakasha describe a substance by taste (rasa), energy (virya) and effect after digestion (vipaka). The profile commonly taught for kumari is given below, though teachers do not all word it alike.

• Taste (rasa): bitter (tikta), with a sweet note in some accounts
• Qualities (guna): heavy, slippery and oily
• Energy (virya): cooling (sheeta)
• Effect on the doshas: said to calm pitta most clearly and, in many accounts, vata, while its cold and heavy nature may increase kapha.

The classical literature places kumari among substances used on the skin, in connection with the liver and spleen, with the bowel and with women’s health. Household tradition adds the familiar habits: a split leaf rubbed on a sunburn or a small kitchen burn, a gel scooped into a face pack, a juice taken in the morning. We report these as what the tradition and families say, not as medical findings, and nothing here says aloe treats any condition.

The “cooling” description fits the way the gel feels on warm skin, and it is also why tradition connects aloe with the heat described in the page on pitta. The words used here are explained in the qualities of foods.

In the kitchen and the home

Aloe is not a main cooking ingredient, but it has a place in the household, and its uses are mostly outside the pot.

• Fresh gel on the skin, scooped from a cut leaf after the yellow latex has drained away
• Bottled juice or gel drinks, common in shops, with variable quality
• Cosmetic products, such as after-sun gels, hair masks and moisturisers

If you cut a leaf at home, stand it upright for a few minutes so the bitter yellow latex drains out, then peel the green skin and rinse the clear gel. The latex is the part that causes stomach cramps and is the reason homemade aloe drinks can upset the bowel. The topic of skin care is also touched on in the page on abhyanga, and the wider group of herbs is on the herbs and spices hub.

Test a small area of skin first, because some people react.

What research says

On the skin, NCCIH says clinical evidence indicates aloe gel may speed burn healing and reduce burn-related pain. Topical aloe has shown potential for acne, genital herpes, lichen planus, psoriasis, oral submucous fibrosis, radiation-induced skin damage and mouth sores from dental appliances, but NCCIH describes this evidence as limited.

By mouth, NCCIH reports limited studies suggesting oral aloe may reduce blood sugar and HbA1c in people with diabetes, and one small trial in which an aloe gel product taken for eight weeks modestly reduced weight and fat mass in adults with obesity or overweight who had diabetes or prediabetes. It says short-term use of oral aloe gel up to 42 days is safe in studies. That is a very different statement from saying aloe is a treatment for diabetes, and it does not apply to latex or leaf extracts.

Safety and interactions

• The latex. NCCIH says oral aloe latex causes abdominal pain, cramps and diarrhoea. It is a strong laxative and should not be used as a casual drink.
• Liver. NCCIH says oral aloe leaf extracts have been linked with cases of acute hepatitis, with use ranging from three weeks to five years. LiverTox rates aloe vera as a likely but rare cause of clinically apparent liver injury (its category B), typically starting three to 24 weeks after beginning high doses taken for constipation, indigestion, ageing, weight loss or wellness, usually clearing after stopping and, in at least one case, returning on restarting. Warning signs include unusual tiredness, nausea, dark urine and yellowing of the skin or eyes. Stop the product and seek medical care if you notice them.
• Colon. LiverTox notes that long-term use for constipation can discolour the lining of the colon, a change called pseudo-melanosis coli.
• Cancer studies in animals. NCCIH says animal studies linked non-decolourised whole-leaf extract with gastrointestinal cancer in rodents, while a 2023 review concluded that food-grade drinkable products with less than 10 parts per million of aloin were not genotoxic. Choosing decolourised, low-aloin products is the cautious route.
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding. NCCIH says aloe taken by mouth may be unsafe during pregnancy and breastfeeding. LactMed says aloe latex should not be used while breastfeeding, and that gel on the nipples should be washed off before feeding, because the taste may upset the baby.
• Medicines. NCCIH says overuse of aloe latex may increase the adverse effects of cardiac glycosides such as digoxin. Because aloe can lower blood sugar in studies, anyone taking diabetes medicine should talk to their doctor first.
• Skin. Topical aloe is generally well tolerated, but burning, itching, rash and eczema have been reported. Do not apply it to deep wounds or severe burns without medical advice.

This page is education, not medical advice. Please read our medical disclaimer, see a doctor for any health concern, and consult a registered Ayurvedic practitioner (BAMS in India) before considering any Ayurvedic treatment.

Frequently asked questions

Sources: NCCIH: Aloe Vera, LiverTox: Aloe Vera, LactMed (NLM): Aloe.