INDIVIDUAL HERBS

NAME: LU HUI - 芦荟 - ALOE

Pharmaceutical Latin: Aloe
Common English: Dried Aloe Juice Concentrate

CATEGORY

Downward-Draining Herbs: Purgatives

PROPERTIES

Taste Temperature Entering Meridians Dosage
Bitter
Cold
Large Intestine
Liver
Stomach
Pills or capsules: 0.6-4.5g Do not decoct
Tincture: 0.2-1ml
Whole leaf decoction: 10-15g

ACTIONS AND INDICATIONS

Actions Indications/Syndromes

Purges and drains Fire and guides out accumulations

Heat Accumulation with constipation, dizziness, red eyes, and irritability (especially for Hot constipation with Heart and Liver Fire with irritability, restlessness and insomnia)

Chronic constipation

Clears Heat and cools the Liver

Heat in the Liver channel or Liver Fire with epigastric discomfort, dizziness, headache, irritability, tinnitus, constipation and fever

Kills parasites and strengthens the Stomach

Childhood nutritional impairment especially when due to roundworms

Tinea

CONTRAINDICATIONS, INCOMPATIBILITIES AND HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • Contraindicated during pregnancy.
  • Use caution during lactation.
  • Contraindicated during menstruation or uterine bleeding.
  • Contraindicated for those with rectal bleeding or hemorrhoids.
  • Contraindicated for children.
  • Contraindicated for those with Cold due to Spleen and Stomach Deficiency.
  • Contraindicated for those with anorexia.
  • Contraindicated for those with diarrhea.
  • Contraindicated for those with Stasis in the pelvis.
  • The purgative action may be accompanied by abdominal pain and Blood.
  • In serious case it may cause nephritis.
INCOMPATIBILITIES
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

MAJOR COMBINATIONS

Cinnabaris
Zhu Sha

Rx. Gentianae
Long Dan Cao
Fr. Gardeniae
Zhi Zi

Rx. Gentianae
Long Dan Cao
Rx. Scutellariae
Huang Qin
Rz. Coptidis
Huang Lian
Damp-Heat draining herbs

Chronic constipation.

Constipation due to Heat accumulation with irritability and insomnia.

Heat in the Liver channel with epigastric pain, dizziness, headache and irritability.

Heat in the Liver channel with epigastric pain, dizziness, headache and irritability.

Pulvis Arisaemae cum Bile
Dan Nan Xing
Concretio Silicea Bambusae
Tian Zhu Huang
Bul. Fritillariae Cirrhosae
Chuan Bei Mu

Fr. Quisqualis
Shi Jun Zi

Borneolum
Bing Pian

Childhood convulsions due to Phlegm-Heat.

Childhood nutritional impairment with constipation.

Intestinal parasites. (powder and serve in equal portions with rice water)

Hemorrhoids topically.

Rx. Gentianae
Long Dan Cao
Fr. Gardeniae
Zhi Zi
Indigo Naturalis
Qing Dai

Rx. Ginseng
Ren Shen
Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae
Bai Zhu

Rx. Glycyrrhizae
Gan Cao

Liver Fire.

Infantile malnutrition with intestinal parasites and Spleen Deficiency.

Topically for itching due to parasites.

NOTES

  1. Aloe is the dried, solid residue obtained by evaporating the leaves of the aloe vera plant.
  2. This herb can be used whenever an illness involves the Liver and there is Heat.
  3. Some sources say that this herb has a sedative effect.
  4. It is for treating abdominal masses.
  5. This herb inhibits the growth of cancer cells.
  6. It is mostly used for Heat type constipation.
  7. It is excreted through the breast milk and can act as a purgative for a breast feeding infant.
  8. This herb can be used to treat an overdose of Fr. Crotonis Ba Dou.
  9. For hepatitis, use a small dose of this as a guiding herb along with others that clear Damp-Heat from the Liver such as Rx. Bupleuri Chai Hu or Rx. Scutellariae Huang Qin.
  10. Both Lu Hui and Fol. Sennae Fan Xie Ye are bitter, cold, drain Heat and relieve constipation from accumulated Heat that dries the Intestines. Lu Hui cools the Liver, kills parasites and is appropriate for constipation related to Liver Heat or abdominal parasites. Fan Xie Ye drains downward and mobilizes water, and can be used for ascites. A small dose strengthens the Spleen and dissolves Food Stagnation. Excessive use of both herbs can cause painful colicky diarrhea.