Alexander the Great was known to use aloe as a purgative after being taught about the plant鈥檚 effects by his tutor Aristotle. 聽Purgatives were highly valued at the time because it was believed that illness could be eliminated from the body by expelling the contents of the digestive tract. 聽Aloe juice can do this very effectively. 聽The juice can also be a mild remedy for skin disorders but this was not the main application in antiquity. 聽Today various unsubstantiated claims are made about the ability of aloe juice to cure digestive ailments.