Atributos biológicos y terapéuticos de la Sábila (Aloe vera) | Biological and therapeutic attributes of Aloe (Aloe vera)

José Imery Buzia; Wendy Ozols Narbona

Atributos biológicos y terapéuticos de la Sábila (Aloe vera) | Biological and therapeutic attributes of Aloe (Aloe vera)

José Imery Buzia, Wendy Ozols Narbona

Resumen

La sábila, Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. (= A. barbadensis Miller) es una planta monocotiledónea, perenne y suculenta de la familia Asphodelaceae, reconocida mundialmente por sus propiedades medicinales y valor ornamental. Por la belleza de sus estructuras vegetativas, tolerancia a la sequía, creencias populares y misticismo, la sábila ocupa un puesto importante en las entradas de las casas, jardines, terrazas y balcones de muchos hogares latinoamericanos. Su potencial curativo ha sido apoyado por múltiples laboratorios, centros de medicina natural y hospitales tradicionales que evalúan alternativas para la sanación de afecciones gastrointestinales, epidérmicas, cardiovasculares, respiratorias, metabólicas, cancerígenas, entre otras, las cuales se esgrime que mejoran notablemente con la administración racional de extractos de A. vera como tratamiento específico para aliviar alguna enfermedad o como coadyuvante de los efectos de la medicina formal. Se presenta un compendio de los estudios botánicos realizados por nuestro laboratorio de investigación en las poblaciones locales de A. vera y se ofrece una revisión actualizada sobre sus aspectos taxonómicos, filogenéticos, componentes y usos terapéuticos. Se describen detalles anatómicos específicos y rasgos morfológicos evaluados en condiciones ambientales de bosque muy seco tropical del Nororiente de Venezuela. Se analizan argumentos científicos sobre su origen, evolución y nomenclatura, como una contribución al conocimiento integral de esta especie, cuyo cultivo y aprovechamiento agroindustrial representa una posibilidad para mejorar la calidad de vida de las comunidades costeras, diversificación de economías locales y la exportación de productos no tradicionales.

Palabras clave: rasgos botánicos, componentes químicos, propiedades medicinales.

Abstract

Aloe, Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. (= A. barbadensis Miller) is a monocotyledon, perennial, and succulent plant of the family Asphodelaceae, recognized worldwide for its medicinal properties and ornamental value. For the beauty of their vegetative structures, drought tolerance, popular beliefs and mysticism, Aloe has an important place in the house porches, gardens, terraces, and balconies of many Latin American households. Its healing potential has been supported by multiple laboratories, natural medicine and traditional hospitals that evaluate alternatives for healing of gastrointestinal, epidermal, cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, cancer, among other, which are reported to improve the rational management of extracts as a specific treatment to relieve some diseases or as an adjunct to the effects of formal medicine. This work presents a compendium of botanical studies by our research laboratory on local populations of A. vera and provide an update review on its taxonomy, phylogeny, components, and therapeutic uses. Specific anatomical details and morphological traits, evaluated under ambient conditions of tropical very dry forest of northeastern Venezuela, were described and scientific arguments about its origin, evolution and nomenclature were analyzed. This is a contribution to the comprehensive knowledge of this species, whose cultivation and agro-industrial use represents a possibility to improve the quality of life of coastal communities, diversification of local economies and the export of non-traditional products.

Key words: botanical features, chemical constituents, medicinal properties.

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