I have seen Aloe extract listed as an ingredient in some laxatives - forget which ones - which would confirm Baja's comment about mobilized bowels. I have used Aloe vera gel - even just the thick juice directly pressed from a fresh cut leaf - to treat sun burn. I would like to echo Baja's comments about being careful to only use products from plants you know the proper ID off and can determine if it is a plant that has medicinal properties - while there might not be many Aloes that are poisonous or just not good to use, it only takes one to make for a really bad experience.
And while most people probably can tell an Aloe from an Agave, if you cannot, using an Agave by mistake can make for some very unpleasant time, the juice of many Agaves causes very serious skin rashes in most people that can linger for weeks after the exposure. It is like eating wild mushrooms: you need to know what you have before you consume/use it.
