Aloe vera

Aloe vera is one of the few medicinal plants used in home remedies since ancient times. The dried sap of the Aloe plant is traditionally used for diabetes. Some of the most important other pharmacological activities of Aloe vera are antiseptic, anti- tumor, anti-inflammatory and wound and burn healing effect In order to fulfill the demand for aloe, a large number of authentic planting materials are required for cultivation throughout the year and thus, micropropagation would be an attractive method as an alternative for the conventional propagation of Aloe vera. Apart from Aloe vera, other economically important species of Aloe include A. ferox Mill, A. Africana Mill, A. perryi Back. and A. arborescence. Therefore, it is also required to systematically characterize this economically important genus at molecular level in relation to morphological variation for estimation of genetic diversity. Hence, it is hoped that present compilation would be of great use to the Aloe vera researchers, teachers and students. It may also prove book a reference as to the agencies engaged in natural product formation from Aloe vera.

Mr. N.M. Chamil Nayanakantha, a Seniour Plant Scientist from Rubber Research Institute of Sri Lanka,Sri Lanka, is currently reading his Ph.D degree programme in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at NRCPB, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110012, India. He obtained his MSc degree in MBB from GBPUA&T, Pantnagar, India in 2007.