Crude drug sample data base
※Click on the image to enlarge it.
Crude drug name | Market name | Elva |
|---|---|---|
| Urudu name | Elva, Musabbar | |
| Arabic name / Persian name | Sibr / Shabyar, Elva | |
| English name | Aloe, Indian aloe | |
| Original plant name | Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. syn. Aloe barbadensis Mill., Aloe, Indian aloe | |
| Family name | Liliaceae | |
| Used part | Classification | Plant origin | Sub classification | extract |
| Collection information | Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Karachi [Karachi], Sind , Amjad Unani Medicine (Pvt.) Ltd. | |
| Collection date | 1994/1/22 | |
| Collector | Tsuneo Namba | |
| Identifier | Javed Ahmad | |
| Description | The drug consists of fresh or dried juice obtained from the leaves of Aloe vera syn. A. barbadensis. Features: The fresh juice is obtained by crushing the white pulp of green succulent leaves. It is sticky liquid of golden yellow colour. Solid mass of irregular shape and different sizes, dark chocolate to black in colour. Surface hard, opaque with slightly vitreous appearance. Fracture - brittle, exposing a glossy somewhat sticky surface (in fresh material). The pieces are translucent and brownish in colour. Odour - nauseating; taste - bitter and unpleasant. | |
| TMPW No. | 14442 | |
The capital city, provincial capital city or the representative
location of its administrative area is indicated.
location of its administrative area is indicated.
Production area information
https://ethmed.toyama-wakan.net/img/pin_san.png
25.0700428
67.2847875
Collection information
Islamic Republic of Pakistan,Karachi [Karachi], Sind
https://ethmed.toyama-wakan.net/img/pin_nyu.png
Scientific information data base
| Crude drug name | Urudu name, English name | Elva, Musabbar, Aloe, Indian aloe | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arabic name / Persian name | Sibr / Shabyar, Elva | ||||
| crude drug image |
| ||||
| Original plant name | Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. syn. Aloe barbadensis Mill. | ||||
| Family name | Liliaceae | ||||
| Used part | Extract of leaves | ||||
| Distribution area | It is native to West Indies and is now cultivated in Indian gardens. Many of the forms of this species are naturalized in India and are found in a semi-wild state in all parts from the dry westward valleys of the Himalayas upto Cape Comorin. This plant is also found in Arabia, Southern Africa, America and Egypt. | ||||
| Description | This plant is found in various forms. Its leaves are green, thick and develop from roots and go up straight, 30 to 60cm. in length, margins serrate or dentate, tip is pointed, loaded with juice. It is sticky liquid therefore, it is called 'Maghz-gheekawar' (essence of aloe). Its taste is very bitter. The leaves are cut in oblique manner and the oozing juice is collected and dried. This is known as Elva. Its hard pieces of yellowish, brownish or blackish colour are available in the Indian market. Preparation of Elva is very ancient method. Dioscorides had also mentioned this method. It has three varieties: (a) Saqotari aloe, (b) Arabian aloe and (c) Sanjabi aloe. Its juice resembles saffron water and its smell is similar to that of bright myrrh. It is brittle and free from pebbles. The Arabian variety is comparatively less yellow, lighter and not so shining. Nevertheless it is more viscous and hard. The Sanjabi variety is inferior in quality, putrefactive in nature, heavy, and light yellow in colour and less bright. When it becomes old, it acquires a blackish colour. | ||||
| Function and properties | Cosmetics, Swellings, Ulcers, Joints, Head, Eye, Food, Excretion. Laxative, stomach tonic (in small doses), purgative (in large doses), tonic to liver, emmenagogue, anthelmintic, detersive for ulcers, good for skin, resolvent for local inflammations. | ||||
| Specific actions | Laxative (cathartic) and anticonstipatory. | ||||
| Frequency in use | Very common. | ||||
| Common uses | Cosmetics: It brightens the face. It is applied with honey on the scars. It heals ulcerative whitlow and when used with wine, it prevents the falling hair. Swellings: With wine or honey it proves to be useful for treating anal and penile swellings. Its plaster is useful for dissolving the other hard swellings of the body. Ulcers: It is suitable to be used in ulcers which are difficult to heal e.g. anal, penile, nasal and oval ulcers. It is also useful in cases of fistula. Joints: It is useful for treating arthralgia. Head: Aloe removes superfluous bilious matters from the head. Its painting with rose oil on the forehead and temples alleviates headache. It proves effective in nasal and buccal ulcers. It is one of the useful drugs for treating contusion of ear and muscular swellings at both the sides of the tongue. The classical system of medicine mentions that aloe purges out black bile and is useful in melancholia. Persian aloe increases intelligence and strengthens the heart. Eye: It is useful in ocular ulcers, pain, swelling and irritation of the canthus. Food: Aloe cleanses the superfluous bilious and phlegmatic matters of the stomach particularly when it is taken two spoonfuls with lukewarm water. It restores the lost appetite. It cures the feeling or burning and inflammations in uvula caused by 'bilious warmth' of the stomach. It becomes purgative and prevents spoiling of food in the stomach. Sometimes it cures colic within a day. It removes hepatic obstructions but it may be harmful for the liver. It removes jaundice due to its purgative property. Excretion: 5.25gm. of aloe, taken with hot water, proves to be a purgative. A dose of 10.5gm. causes complete evacuation. Moderate dose (7gm.) with honey water purges out phlegm and bile. It is a well tolerated purgative for the stomach. The Arabian aloe, when taken orally, proves to be more painful, more spasmodic and more purgative. Its potency persists for one or two days in the fasciae of the stomach. The oral use of aloe in winter is dangerous. Generally all kinds of aloe are very purgative. It stops bleeding as well. It is anthelmintic. It is applied in the anus after mixing with some oil to kill the threadworms. | ||||
| Side effect | When taken in winter season, it might cause hemorrhage diarrhoea/diarrhea. The pregnant ladies should avoid its frequent use as it may cause abortion. It is harmful for those individuals who are having piles as it may produce irritations in the intestines. | ||||
| Medical system | Unani | ||||
| Traditional concept | Temperament | Hot and dry in the second degree (Kabiruddin). Sibr is hot upto the second degree and is somewhat dry (Avicenna). | |||
| Drug effect | Esteemed laxative (cathartic) and anticonstipatory. It is not taken in piles as it produces scratches in the intestines. | ||||
| Comments | Farooqi (1998) stated that the drug was used as a medicine by Prophet Mohammed (SAAS) and the Prophet had narrated its usefullness in the complaint of eyes. | ||||
| Dosage | 125 to 500mg. | ||||
| Substitute | Turbud (Operculina turpethum (L.) Manso.). According to Avicenna (Ibn Sina) the double quantity of the extract of ophthalmic barberry is considered to be its substitute. | ||||
| Related drugs | The market samples are also adulterated with black catechu, sand or dust particles. A number of other varieties of Aloe are also imported into the country. These are Curacas aloe, having a yellowish brown colour; Cape aloe of greenish brown colour. Socotrine aloe of dark brown colour with glossy texture and Zangibar aloe of light blue colour. | ||||
| Corrigent (corrective) | Katira (Cochlospermum religiosum (L.) Alston) and rose. | ||||
| Important compound preparations | Habb-Shabyar, Habb-Mudir, Halwa-i-Ghi Kanwar and Ma`jun Talkh. | ||||
| References | Reference book Tips！ | Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants, 1956. Chopra, R.N., Nayar, S.L. and Chopra, I.C., Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, New Delhi. - New Edition (1996) National Institute Science Communication; Supplement p 13. Illustrated Manual of Herbal Drugs Used in Ayurveda, 1996. Sarin, Y.K., Council of Scientific & Industrial Research and Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi p 336. Makhzanul-Mufradat (Khawasul Adviyah), Hakeem Kabiruddin, Daftar Al-Masih, Qarol Bagh, Delhi. pp 102-103. Dictionary of Economic Plants in India, 1996 (2nd Rep.). Singh, U; Wadhwani, A. M. and Johri B.M. Indian council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi. pp 12-13. Al-Qanun Fil-Tibb. Avicenna. (English translation of the critical Arabic text), Book 2, 1998. Hameed, H. A. (editor), Dept. of Islamic Studies, Jamia Hamdard (Hamdard University), New Delhi. pp 296-297. Al-Jamili Mufradt Al Adwiya Wal Aghziya (1197-1248 A.D.). Ibn al-Baytar. Vols. 1-3, 1985-1999. Central council for Research in Unani Medicine, Janakpuri, New Delhi. Vol. 3, pp 170-175. Hamdard Pharmcopoeia of Eastern medicine, 1969. Said, H. M. (editor), The Times Press, Sadar Karachi. pp 105, 110, 118, 263. Indusyunic Medicine, 1997. Usmanghani, K., Saeed, A. and Alam, M. T. Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Karachi, Karachi. pp 95-96. Unani Adwiyah Mufradah, 1984. Ali, Saifuddin, A. (3rd edi.). Taraqi-e-Urdu Bureau, R. K. Puram, New Delhi. p 58. Medicinal plants (in the traditions) of Prophet Muhammad, 1998. Farooqi, M. I. H. Sidrah Publisher, Lucknow. pp 68-69. | |||
| Remarks | The drug is described by various Unani physicians. It is said that to correct its griping effects confection of roses and mastich is added. It is also regarded as antiaging. Before administration the drug is properly managed. | ||||
| Last renewal date | 2024/02/26 | ||||
