What Is Lu Hui
Lu Hui is the concentrated leaf juice of Aloe vera or Aloe ferox, which is an evergreen perennial herb belonging to the family Liliaceae. It is a relatively practical and common Chinese herbal medicine, which first appeared in <Yaoxing Lun> (Discourse on the Properties of Pharmaceutical Substances) in the 7th century.
There are about 400 species of Aloe, which are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. There are many varieties of them, which can be divided into ornamental aloe, edible aloe, and medicinal aloe according to their uses. Among them, a few species such as Aloe vera, Aloe ferox, and Aloe arborescens have medicinal value.
Aloe vera has some synonyms: A. barbadensis Mill., Aloe Indica Royle, Aloe perfoliata L. var. vera, and A. Vulgaris Lam. Its common names are Chinese Aloe, Indian Aloe, True Aloe, Barbados Aloe, Burn Aloe, First Aid Plant. This plant originated in the Arabian Peninsula and has been widely cultivated around the world. It is one of the few edible species in the genus Aloe and is widely used in many fields, such as food, beauty, health care, medicine, etc.
Aloe ferox likes light and a warm environment. It is mainly produced in Cape State of the Republic of South Africa. It is for medicinal use only, and there are few reports on its application in food and cosmetics.
The leaf juice of Aloe vera or Aloe ferox can be gathered in any season. People cut their leaves, collect the effluent juice, concentrate them into pastes, cool them, cut them into small pieces, and make them into Chinese herbal medicines.
Lu Hui contains aloin, aloesin, isobarbaloin, 5-hydroxyaloin A, quercetin, rutin, luteolin -7-glucoside, homo-orientin, isovitexin, oleic acid, linolenic acid, pentadecanoic acid, succinic acid, isocitric acid, salicylic acid, lactic acid, P-coumaric acid, β-sitosterol, lupeol, cholesterol, campesterol, superoxide dismutase, oxidase, cellulase, phytagglutinin, carboxypeptidase, amylase, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, polysaccharoses, vitamins and a variety of trace elements.
According to <Yaoxing Lun> (Discourse on the Properties of Pharmaceutical Substances), the medicinal nature of Lu Hui is relatively cold, with a bitter taste. It has a certain therapeutic effect on the pathological changes of the liver, stomach, and large intestine meridians.
In traditional Chinese medicine, Lu Hui is often used to induce diarrhea, clear liver and kill insects, treat constipation, oral ulcers, diabetes, phlebitis, irritability, convulsion, insomnia, Chronic hepatitis B, psoriasis, urticaria, acne, freckles, burns, and sunburns.
There are about 30 kinds of Chinese medicine prescriptions containing it, such as Dang Gui Long Hui Wan, Fei Er Wan, and Bu Dai Wan.
Benefits
- Anti-inflammation, anti-influenza A virus, and anti-tumor.
- Enhancing the ability of gastric mucosa to scavenge free radicals, promoting the repair of damaged gastric mucosa, and resisting gastric ulcers.
- Increasing the total antioxidant capacity of plasma, reducing the number of lactic acid bacteria, and preventing oral bacterial infection.
- Reducing the exudation and edema of the burn wound, enhancing the collagen synthesis of the wound, and promoting the healing of the wound.
- Reducing fatty acid synthesis and preventing fatty liver induced by ethanol.
- Inhibiting lipopolysaccharide-mediated proliferation and phagocytosis of peritoneal macrophages in mice and reducing the immunity of mice.
- Lowering blood sugar, plasma triacylglycerol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and treating type 1 diabetes.
- Stimulating the peristalsis of the intestinal wall, inducing diarrhea, and treating constipation in the elderly, and constipation caused by heat retention.
- Clearing liver fire, relieving insomnia and irritability caused by the exuberance of liver fire.
- Treating constipation, scanty dark urine, dizziness, headache, irritability, and convulsive epilepsy caused by the exuberance of liver fire.
- Treating infantile malnutrition, abdominal pain, and emaciation caused by a parasitic infestation.
- The topical application of it can treat tinea and scabies.
- Its water infusion can inhibit a variety of skin fungi and human Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
- Studies have confirmed that it contains acemannan, which has been used as an adjunct to the treatment of AIDS.
Combinations
It can be used in combination with Zhu Sha (Cinnabaris), etc. to purge fire and relax bowels and relieve irritability and insomnia caused by the exuberance of liver fire.
It can be used in combination with Ren Shen (Radix et Rhizoma Ginseng), Bai Zhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae), etc. to relieve abdominal pain and emaciation caused by a parasitic infestation.
It can be used in combination with Long Dan Cao (Radix Gentianae), Zhi Zi (Fructus Gardeniae), Qing Dai (Indigo Naturalis), etc. to treat constipation, scanty dark urine, dizziness, headache, irritability, and convulsive epilepsy caused by the exuberance of liver fire.
It can be used in combination with Ku Shen (Radix Sophorae Flavescentis), Bai Jiang Cao (Patrinia), Zi Hua Di Ding (Viola Yedoensis), Chuan Xin Lian (Andrographis Paniculata), Zi Cao (Radix Arnebiae), etc. to treat leukorrheal diseases caused by damp-heat or damp toxins.
It can be used in combination with Da Huang (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei), Wu Yi (Fructus Ulmi Macrocarpae), Huang Lian (Rhizoma Coptidis), Mang Xiao (Natrii Sulfas), Huang Qin (Radix Scutellariae), etc. to alleviate bad breath and gum ulcers.
Side Effects
- Overdose of it may cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, and pelvic bleeding. In severe cases, it may cause acute nephritis.
Precautions and Warnings
- The dosage of Lu Hui should be controlled at 1-2g.
- It can be made into pills, powders, or ground for external use.
- People who are allergic to aloe should not take it.
- Patients with poor appetite or loose stools should not take it.
- Patients with deficiency cold of spleen and stomach should take it.
- Patients with heart or kidney insufficiency should not take it.
- Pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and menstruating women should not use it.
- Children and the elderly and infirm should not take it.