2016

The aim of this study was to evaluate evidence for the efficacy of aloe vera on managing prediabetes and early non-treated diabetes mellitus. We performed a systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials until 28 January 2016. A total of five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 415 participants were included. Compared with the controls, aloe vera supplementation significantly reduced the concentrations of fasting blood glucose (FBG) (p = 0.02; weighed mean difference [WMD]: −30.05 mg/dL; 95% confidence interval [CI]: −54.87 to −5.23 mg/dL), glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (p < 0.00001; WMD: −0.41%; 95% CI: −0.55% to −0.27%), triglyceride (p = 0.0001), total cholesterol (TC) (p < 0.00001), and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) (p < 0.00001). Aloe vera was superior to placebo in increasing serum high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels (p = 0.04). Only one adverse event was reported. The evidence from RCTs showed that aloe vera might effectively reduce the levels of FBG, HbA1c, triglyceride, TC and LDL-C, and increase the levels of HDL-C on prediabetes and early non-treated diabetic patients. Limited evidence exists about the safety of aloe vera. Given the small number and poor quality of RCTs included in the meta-analysis, these results are inconclusive. A large-scale, well-designed RCT is needed to further address this issue.

Aloe vera healed wounds earlier than untreated rats with gradual improvement in wound areas and collagen content. Aloe vera also improved the expression of IGF-1 and VEGF in skin and bone marrow indicating improvement in angiogenesis. RT- PCR analysis showed increased expression of genes for chemota …

Dysfunction of autophagy, which regulates cellular homeostasis by degrading organelles and proteins, is associated with pathogenesis of various diseases such as cancer, neurodegeneration and metabolic disease. Trehalose, a naturally occurring nontoxic disaccharide found in plants, insects, microorga …

Type 1 diabetes (T1DM) affects approximately 1 in 500 children. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is the most common form of peripheral neuropathy …

Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. (Aloe barbadensis Mill) Liliaceae, succulent plant native to northern Africa, is presently cultivated in many regions of the world. Traditionally, its inner part of parenchyma, which contains aloe gel, was used for the treatment ...

Aloe vera has been used as folk medicine for a host of therapeutic indications of which the inner gel is the component extensively used and studied. Proponents of the use of this plant suggest that it is easily available, economical, and have fewer side effects compared to commercial drug compounds. However, the active constituents and their exact mechanisms have yet to be fully elucidated. This review focuses on the identification of the active constituents and their functional mechanism in the areas of anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, and antibacterial. Preliminary evidence was found to support the antidiabetic effect which extended to the early stages of the disease with no adverse effects at the dosages used. Although topical application for its anti-inflammatory effect may be delayed and minute, oral administration has shown a significant response. However, too high a dose has been linked with an initial inflammatory reaction. Favorable response to the gel has also been demonstrated to support the use of A. vera in wound-healing and as an antibacterial agent, although limited to simple, uncomplicated wounds. Different active constituents such as acemannan and aloin have been suggested for the effects of the plant and this may be interpreted as synergism among different compounds rather than the action of a single compound. Until robust evidence is available, the plant should only be used as an adjunct to other well-established evidence-based treatment modalities.

The co-administration of absorption enhancing agents with macromolecular drugs (e.g., protein and peptide drugs) has been identified as a means to improve the oral bioavailability of these drugs. Absorption-enhancing agents of natural origins have received a great deal of attention due to their sustainable production, in support of green chemistry. In previous studies, certain parts of the Aloe vera leaf (e.g., gel and whole leaf extract) have shown a potential to enhance drug permeation across the intestinal epithelial barrier. The mechanism of the drug-absorption-enhancement action and the capacity for absorption-enhancement of the A. vera gel and whole leaf, were investigated in this study. A clear decrease in transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) of Caco-2 cell monolayers exposed to A. vera gel and wholeleaf extract, in various concentrations, indicated the opening of tight junctions between the epithelial cells. The transport of Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran, with a molecular weight of 4 kDa (FD-4), could be enhanced across the Caco-2 cell monolayers, by the A. vera gel and whole-leaf extract, but not the FITC-dextran with larger molecular weights (i.e., 10, 20, and 40 kDa), which indicated a limited drug absorption enhancement capacity, in terms of the molecular size. Accumulation of FD-4 between the Caco-2 cells (and not within the cells), after treatment with the A. vera gel and whole-leaf extract was shown with a confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) imaging, indicating that the paracellular transport of FD-4 occurred after the interaction of the A. vera gel and whole-leaf extract, with the epithelial cell monolayers. Furthermore, changes in the F-actin distribution in the cytoskeleton of the Caco-2 cell monolayers was observed by means of a fluorescence staining, which confirmed tight junction modulation as the mechanism of action for the absorption enhancement effect of the A. vera gel and whole-leaf extract.

(2017). Trehalose pathway as an antifungal target. Virulence: Vol. 8, New Antifungal Compounds, pp. 143-149.

We evaluated the cardioprotective effect of Aloe vera gel isoprenaline (ISO)-administered myocardial infarction in rats. ISO administration increased lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress in rats, which were ameliorated by A. vera gel supplementation. ...

The medicinal and other claimed uses of Aloe vera, the “wonder plant”, are endless. The extract for phytochemical analysis was collected in three different solvents, diethyl ether, ethanol and distilled water. The anti-fungal activities of the leaf extract were investigated on selected fungi organisms; Trycophytum rubrum, Penicillum notatum, Trycophytum vericophytum, Trycophytum soundanense, Claudosporium and Trycophytum mentagrophytis collected from Mycology Laboratory, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria. The plant extract was collected crude without solvent and agar-well diffusion method employed for the determination of antifungal activities on the test organisms using 200 mg ketoconazole drug as standard. The phytochemical constituents of aloe vera leaf include alkaloids, flavonoids, saponin, phenol, glycosides and tannins. Both undiluted and half diluted crude extract showed different zones of inhibition on the test organisms. The undiluted crude extract of Aloe vera had larger zone of inhibition on Trycophytum rubrum and Trycophytum mentagrophytis than the diluted crude extract while the diluted crude extract showed larger zone of inhibition on Trycophytum vericopytum than the undiluted crude extract.Keywords: Aloe vera, Phytochemicals, Constituents, Antifungal properties

Phytochemical Constituents from Aloe Vera Leaves and Garden Grass Seeds and Their Utilization as Anticancer Activity - written by Safaa F. Faid published on 2018/07/30 download full article with reference data and citations

Subgingival air-polishing with trehalose powder showed comparable clinical outcomes to sonic scaling. Sonic scaling evoked more discomfort compared with air-polishing.

Chitosan, sodium alginate and gel of Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) were employed for the preparation of polyelectrolyte complexes at pH 4 and 6.…

An allergic reaction occurs when the immune system overreacts to harmless substance called allergen that gains access to the body. Food allergy is a hypersensitive immune reaction to food proteins and the number of patients with food allergy has recently increased. Aloe Vera is used for wellness and …

Mitochondria are considered to be the powerhouses of cells. They are the most commonly damaged organelles within dopaminergic neurons in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Despite the importance of protecting neuronal mitochondria in PD patients, the detailed mechanisms underlying mitochondrial …

There is a growing interest in butyrate because its impact on epigenetic mechanisms will lead to more specific and efficacious therapeutic strategies for the presentation and treatment of different disease ranging from genetic/metabolic conditions to neurological degeneration disorders. The dietary natural source of butyrate through a high fiber diet or butyrate produced by fermentation of non-digestive fiber, such as acemannan in Aloe Vera leaf gel, is a highly appealing approach to present a simple and relatively low risk method to potentially improve outcomes in aged people with brain troubles. In this review, we will discuss the pharmacological effects of butyrate as a histone deacetylase inhibitor to an insulin resistance and energy expenditure, and as pro-drugs to ulcerative colitis and cancer, and the gut-liver axis in pre-clinical treatment.

Our health span is to a great extent epigenetically determined by diets, gut environment, lifestyle, and various other environmental factors. Health benefits of long-term ingestion of aloe vera gel with immune modulation of the intestinal microbiota were discussed on congenital heart disease and heart failure. In this review, we demonstrated prophylaxes roles of successive ingestion of aloe vera juice on heart failure. Furthermore we presented three case reports on heart failure patients with aloe vera juice adjuvant.

ALOE VERA (Aloe vera) GENERAL INTRODUCTION Aloe vera is a cactus-like succulent plant with thick, fleshy leaves. The aloe family ...

Background Acute radiation-induced proctitis (ARP) is the most common side effect following radiotherapy for malignant pelvic disease. This study evaluated the efficacy of Aloe vera ointment in prevention of ARP. Methods Forty-two patients receiving external-beam radiotherapy (RT) for pelvic malignancies were randomized to receive either Aloe vera 3% or placebo topical ointment during radiotherapy for 6 weeks. These patients were evaluated based on the severity (grade 0–4) of the following symptoms weekly: rectal bleeding, abdominal/rectal pain, diarrhea, or fecal urgency. RTOG acute toxicity criteria and psychosocial status of the patients were also recorded weekly. Lifestyle impact of the symptoms, and quantitative measurement of C-reactive protein (CRP), an indicator of systemic inflammation, were also measured. Results The results of present study demonstrated a significant preventive effect for Aloe vera in occurrence of symptom index for diarrhea (p

Dysfunction of autophagy, which regulates cellular homeostasis by degrading organelles and proteins, is associated with pathogenesis of various diseas…

Random-pattern skin flaps are commonly used and valuable tools in reconstructive surgery, however, post-operative random skin flap necrosis remains a major and common complication. Previous studies have suggested that activating autophagy, a major pathway for degradation of intracellular waste, may improve flap survival. In this study, we investigated whether trehalose, a novel and potent autophagy activator, improves random skin flap viability. Our results demonstrated that trehalose significantly improves viability, augments blood flow, and decreases tissue edema. Furthermore, we found that trehalose leads to increased angiogenesis, decreased apoptosis, and reduced oxidative stress. Using immunohistochestry and western blot, we demonstrated that trehalose augments autophagy, and that inhibition of autophagy augmentation using 3MA significantly blunted the aforementioned benefits of trehalose therapy. Mechanistically, we showed that trehalose’s autophagy augmentation is mediated by activation and nuclear translocation of TFEB, which may be due to inhibition of Akt and activation of the AMPK-SKP2-CARM1 signaling pathway. Altogether, our results established that trehalose is a potent agent capable for significantly increasing random-pattern skin flap survival by augmenting autophagy and subsequently promoting angiogenesis, reducing oxidative stress, and inhibiting cell death.

Exosomes are important mediators in intercellular communication. Released by many cell types, they transport proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids to distant recipient cells and contribute to important physiopathological processes. Standard current exosome isolation methods based on differential centrifugation protocols tend to induce aggregation of particles in highly concentrated suspensions and freezing of exosomes can induce damage and inconsistent biological activity. Trehalose is a natural, non-toxic sugar widely used as a protein stabilizer and cryoprotectant by the food and drug industry. Here we report that addition of 25 mM trehalose to pancreatic beta-cell exosome-like vesicle isolation and storage buffer narrows the particle size distribution and increases the number of individual particles per microgram of protein. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles induce an increase in particle concentration and in the width of the size distribution for exosome-like vesicles stored in PBS, but not in PBS 25 mM trehalose. No signs of lysis or incomplete vesicles were observed by cryo-electron tomography in PBS and trehalose samples. In macrophage immune assays, beta-cell extracellular vesicles in trehalose show consistently higher TNF-alpha cytokine secretion stimulation indexes suggesting improved preservation of biological activity. The addition of trehalose might be an attractive means to standardize experiments in the field of exosome research and downstream applications.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are well-known for exerting numerous adverse effects on the gastrointestinal tract such as bleeding, ulceration, and perforation, thereby limiting their use. Most previous studies have focused on NSAID-induced gastropathy. However, improved diagnostic techniques

The processed Aloe vera gel (PAG) contains immunomodulatory polysaccharides, which consists of a mixture of polymer chains of b-(1,4)-linked acetylated galactomannan with different lengths. PAG was shown to inhibit azoxymethane(AOM)-initiated and dextran sodium sulfate(DSS)-promoted colon carcinogenesis model in mice. In the present study, we examined the molecular mechanisms for the inhibition of colitis-associated colon carcinogenesis by PAG. PAG administration significantly inhibited the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and mediators in the colon. Western blot analysis using the colon extracts showed that PAG administration reduced the activation of NF-kB resulting in the inhibition of iNOS and COX-2 expression. PAG appeared to inhibit NF-kB activation through the PPARγ activation. PAG administration also inhibited the expression and phosphorylation of STAT3, which was known to connect inflammation and cancer. PAG administration also inhibited cell cycle progression-related transcription factors such as the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), ERK, cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4 and cyclin D1. In contrast, PAG administration increased the expression of CDX2, which was known to be a tumor suppressor in colorectal cancers. These findings show that PAG suppresses colitis-related colon carcinogenesis by inhibiting both chronic inflammation and cell cycle progression in the colon.

Objective: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a self-immune demyelinating disorder of the CNS, followed by neuropathic discomfort, especially in young people in reproductive age. So, This research was conducted with the aim of assessing the protective effect of Aloe vera gel (AVG) extract on histopathologic changes of the ovary and gonadotropin in an experimental MS model of rat. Methods: In this research, 30 pieces of rats of Wistar race were randomly divided into 6 groups of 5. 20 pieces, 14μl of ethidium bromide was injected in their lateral ventricles to induce MS. In 5 pieces as control group 2, 14μL of saline was injected into the lateral ventricles, and the remaining 5 rats were considered as control group 1. Treatment of three groups of rats with MS was performed with AVG extract at 50 mg/kg BW, 100 mg/kg BW 100 and 200 mg/ kg BW. At the end, blood sampling to measure serum FSH and LH, Their ovaries were isolated for microscopic examination. Results: The results of counting the number of ovarian follicles showed a significant decrease in the number of primary and secondary and graafian follicles in group 3, compared to the control group. There is a significant increase in the concentration of FSH and LH in group 3 in comparison to the control group. Conclusion: Finally, It can be said that by inducing MS, The number of ovarian follicles decreased, and the number of atretic follicles and the concentration of gonadotropin hormones increased, and treatment with AVG extract was effective in improving these factors. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.19(3) 2020 p.444-452

The aloe vera plant has become increasingly popular in recent years. This study aimed to research the effect of aloe vera to prevent renal and lung tissue damage in an experimental ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury model. The study included 21 male Wistar Albino rats, which were categorized into control group, n = 7 (no procedures), Sham group n = 7 (I/R); and aloe vera therapy group, n = 7 (aloe vera and I/R). Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were evaluated from lung and kidney tissues for biochemical investigations. As histopathological, hematoxylin and eosin and anti-iNOS were also examined. In biochemical investigations, SOD, CAT, and GPx levels of the Sham group were found to be lower compared with the other groups (P < 0.05). The aloe vera therapy group was not statistically different from control groups but significantly different compared with the Sham group. In the same way, the MDA levels of kidney and lung tissues were statistically significant in the aloe vera therapy group, compared to the Sham group. In the Sham group, the peribronchial and perialveolar edema were observed in lung parenchyma. Also, excess interstitial hemorrhage, leukocyte infiltration, and alveolar wall thickening were identified in ischemic groups. The histopathological changes were much lighter than in the aloe vera therapy group. In renal tissues, excess epithelial cell deterioration, tubular desqumination, and glomerular atrophy were observed in the Sham group. The histopathological changes were markedly reduced in the aloe vera therapy  group. In the kidney and lung tissue, the level of iNOS activity in the Sham group was significantly higher than in the control and aloe vera therapy group. This study indicated that aloe vera is protective against oxidative damage formed by I/R in distant organs like the lungs and kidneys.