Hardly any other plant is as ubiquitous in pharmacies, drugstores and naturopathic practices as aloe vera. It adorns windowsills, is found in hair care products, nutritional supplements and wound creams - and is often stylized as an all-purpose miracle plant. But what is really behind this fleshy desert plant with its prickly leaves? This article takes you on a journey through the gut, skin and immune system - and also touches on the psychosomatic space that this plant can symbolically touch.