Aloe vera is a succulent plant that looks similar to cactus. They are cultivated in tropical or sub-tropical regions where the weather is not chilling.

Plants of the Aloe Vera family like the Aloe Vera Barbadensis are known for their medicinal use. These plants sap is a thick, mucilaginous gel that can be used to manufacture ointments for burns, rashes and cuts. Aloe Vera is also a major ingredient in various beauty preparations.

Aloe Vera contains more than 75 known components including vitamins, enzymes that help improve digestion and reduce inflammation, minerals, sugars from the long chain that aid in the digestion process and protein building units amino acids.

We present eight specific health benefits that have been attributed Aloe Vera:

1) Aloe Vera extract is a great antioxidant that works against free radicals. It helps keep the body systems free from oxidation stress -- a major factor contributing to several disease conditions including heart diseases and cancer.

2) Cream made of Aloe Vera could heal cuts, wounds, grazes and insect stings.

3) Aloe Vera is found to repair skin tissues that have suffered burns.

4) It is also useful to relieve symptoms of eczema, acne, rashes, itching and psoriasis.

5) It moisturizes the skin. It can also improve the elasticity of the skin and make your skin look younger.

6) Juice made of Aloe Vera can relieve you of digestive problems like irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux, candida infection, peptic ulceration and Crohn's disease.

7) Aloe Vera gel is useful to treat problems related to the muscles or the skeleton like arthritis and rheumatism.

8) The herb is also found useful in dealing with hay fever, asthma and chronic fatigue syndrome.