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Plant Remedies
Aloe Vera
Research
Recent research
Some recent
studies appear to show topical and orally administered aloe vera
preparations in patients with angina and heart disease, diabetes,
psroiasis, wound healing and chronic venous leg ulcers.
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Aloe
Vera and wound care
Aloe vera,
again in-vitro, has been shown to stimulate the replication of skin
fibroblasts, with an effect almost three times as great as healing
in a control (Danhoff and McAnally 1983). This means that aloe vera
could be an important way of enhancing wound healing. It is
considered
safe for both topical and oral use and where people react adversely,
it tends to be towards a product additive, such as an anti-oxidant
or stabiliser, rather than the aloe itself. True aloe allergy
manifests itself as a discoid or nummular eczematous rash.
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Venous
leg ulcers
In the small
pilot study reported here, seven patients whose ulcers had failed to
heal using more conventional methods, including skin grafting, were
selected by nursing staff as being suitable to enter the study.
Using a standard battery, each patient was first patch-tested to
exclude allergy to the vehicle and preservatives in the topical
aloe product. The ulcer was then traced, photographed and swabbed,
and blood taken for routine testing.
Carrying out the
study - Each patient was given an aloe vera gel drink (98 per cent
stabilised aloe vera gel) to drink in the form of 60m1 fluid (4 fl
oz) every day, in two divided amounts. The ulcer crater was also
irrigated with tap water to remove debris and then filled with a
topical aloe jelly preparation containing 86% stabilised gel. The
whole area was then covered with an appropriate waterproof dressing
such as Combiderm, followed by short stretch pressure bandaging.
This process was carried out daily if possible, either in the
department or, if trained nursing help was available, in the
community. Seven ulcers ranging in duration from 4 to 15 years were
treated, six of which were venous leg ulcers and one in a patient
with systemic lupus erythematosis. The sample included six females
and one male.
Results of the study
- The results of this small study were encouraging. One older
patient withdrew from the study because she could not tolerate the
stinging sensation caused by the topical application of the aloe
jelly when first applied. This effect is common and passes off in
20-30 minute. The remaining 6 patients found the regime very
acceptable. Even though their wound may not have healed, the were
never the less pleased with the cleansing effect of aloe. This
resulted in less exudate and odour and less seepage through the
bandaging.
Subsequent swabs
demonstrated that aloe destroyed the wounds infecting bacteria,
especially pseudomonas. Three of the Six wounds healed completely,
one healed partially, and one showed no improvement. A pleasant side
effect of the treatment resulted in a noticeable change in the
quality of the patients’ hair, nails and skin.
Conclusions - It is
impossible to draw definitive conclusions from such a small study.
The study did not discriminate between the effects of topical
application of aloe gel and that of oral ingestion of aloe
preparation. The study was established as a pilot investigation and
the results indicate that further investigation in to the
effectiveness of wound treatment using aloe vera is both necessary
and feasible. Ethical permission has recently been received to carry
out a randomised controlled trial, involving 30 patients, which will
compare the effects of topical aloe gel with a standard gel
dressing.
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Aloe
vera & diabetes
Aloe
vera juice lowers blood glucose and triglyceride levels in diabetic
patients.
Two placebo-controlled studies
were conducted at the Medical Plant Information Centre, faculty of
Pharmacy, Mahidol University in Bangok investigated the application
of Aloe vera juice derived from the preserved gel in the treatment
of patients suffering from diabetes mellitus.
In the first study(1), 72
patients (aged 35-60 years) with a high fasting blood sugar level
and a typical diabetic glucose tolerance test result were assigned
to a treatment or placebo group, and were matched according to age,
sex and weight. The patients in the treatment group received one
tablespoon of Aloe vera juice (80%) twice a day for 42 days. The
Aloe vera juice was prepared at the Faculty of Pharmacy at Mahidol
University in Thailand from Aloe vera gel with the addition of
flavourings and preservatives.
Fasting blood glucose levels
were measured weekly and triglyceride and cholesterol levels every
two weeks.
The results showed that the
average (mean) blood glucose level of the patients in the Aloe juice
group was significantly reduced from the second week of the study
and continued to fall throughout the treatment period, whereas there
were no changes reported in the placebo group. Furthermore, in the
treatment group, blood glucose levels fell from an average of 250.36
(+/- 7.65mg%) to 141.92 (+/-4.12mg%) by day 42. Triglyceride levels
also fell significantly in the Aloe group after two weeks from
220.31 (+/- 11.40mg%) on day 1 to 122.72 (+/- 5.46mg%) by day 42.
Once again, no significant changes were observed in the placebo
group. No changes in cholesterol were observed in either group.
In another study, the
researchers monitored 72 patients (aged between 35-70 years) with
diabetes mellitus who had been unsuccessfully treated with
glibenclamide. 23 of the patients were women and the remaining 49
were men.
The patients were assigned to
either the placebo or treatment group, and were matched according to
sex, age and weight. The patients in the treatment group received
one tablespoon of Aloe vera juice twice a day, plus glibenclamide
(5mg) twice a day for 42 days. The placebo juice was reported to
have the same colour, taste and smell as the Aloe juice with the
same dosage of glibenclamide.
The results after two weeks
showed that the mean fasting blood glucose level of the patients in
the Aloe juice and glibenclamide group was significantly reduced and
this continued to fall as the study progressed. Mean blood glucose
levels fell in the treatment group from 288.14 (+/- 8.45mg%) on day
1 to 148.03 (+/- 4.61mg%) by day 42. Triglyceride levels also fell
significantly in the Aloe and glibenclamide group after 4 weeks. In
the treatment group triglyceride levels
(1) Yongchaiyudha S,
Rungpitarangsi V, Bunyapraphatsara N, et al. Antidiabetic activity
of Aloe vera juice. I Clinical trial in new cases of diabetes
mellitus. Phytomedicine 1996; 3,3:241-243.
(2) Bunyapraphatsara
N, Yongchaiyudha S, Rungpitarangsi V et al. Antidiabetic activity of
Aloe vera juice. II Clinical trial in diabetes mellitus patients in
combination with glibenclamide. Phytomedicine 1996; 3,3:245-248.
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Management
of psoriasis with Aloe Vera
Researchers
at the University of Punjab, Pakistan have conducted a double-blind,
placebo-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability
of topical aloe Vera extract (0.5%) in an hydrophilic cream to treat
patients with psoriasis vulgaris.
Sixty patients (36
male/24 female) aged between 18 - 50 years (average age 25.6 years)
with slight to moderate chronic plaque-type psoriasis participated
in the study and were randomly divided into two groups. The average
duration of the disease prior to the study was 8.5 years.
The patients were
provided with a pre-coded 100g tube, placebo or aloe Vera extract
0.5%, and they self-administered the cream topically (without
occlusion) at home 3 times daily for 5 consecutive days per week up
to a maximum of 4 weeks treatment.
The patients were
examined on a weekly basis and those showing a progressive reduction
of lesions, desquamation followed by decreased erythema and lowered
psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) were considered healed. The
treatment was well tolerated by all of the patients with no adverse
side effects and no patients dropped out of the study.
At the end of the 4
weeks, the Aloe Vera extract cream resulted in significant clearing
of the psoriatic plaques in 25 out of 30 patients (83.3%) compared
to the placebo cream which was successful in only 2 out of 30
patients (6.6%).
The researchers
concluded that their findings suggest that topically applied aloe
Vera extract in an hydrophilic cream is more effective than a
placebo cream and has no known toxic side effects. The use of aloe
Vera cream in the treatment of mild to moderate psoriasis was
considered a safe alternative treatment for psoriasis patients.
Tanweer A, Syed S et
al. Management of psoriasis with Aloe Vera extract in a hydrophilic
cream: a placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Tropical Medicine
and International Health 1996: 1, 4; 505-509.
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Aloe
Vera and hepatitis
Aloe Vera has
long been acknowledged for it's beneficial effects for wounds and
burns (when applied externally) (1) and there is growing evidence
that, when taken internally, it has powerful healing properties. In
one study in China (2), 38 patients suffering from chronic hepatitis
were given extract of aloe vera (injections of 10-15ml/kg,ir x4) and
it was found that the level of inflammation was reduced by 87% and
the researchers stated that they believe the aloe could thereby
alleviate symptoms by protecting patient's liver cells.
(1) The Aloe
vera phenomenon: a review of the properties and modern uses of the
leaf parenchyma gel. Grindlay D; Reynolds T. J
Ethnopharmacol (SWITZERLAND) Jun 1986, 16 (2-3) p117-51
(2) Fan YJ; Li M; Yang WL; Qin L; Zou J[Protective effect of
extracts from Aloe vera L. var. chinensis (Haw.) Berg. on
experimental hepatic lesions and a primary clinical study on the
injection of in patients with hepatitis]___þ Chung Kuo Chung Yao
Tsa Chih (CHINA) Dec 1989, 14 (12) p746-8
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Aloe
vera and angina pectoris
Five thousand
patients of atheromatous heart disease, presented as angina
pectoris, were studied over a period of five years.
After adding the
'Husk of Isabgol'(psyllium) and 'aloe vera' (an indigenous plant
known as ghee-guar-ka-paththa) to the diet, a marked reduction in
total serum cholesterol, serum triglycerides,
fasting and post
prandial blood sugar level in diabetic patients, total lipids and
also increase in HDL were noted. Simultaneously the clinical profile
of these patients showed reduction in the frequency of anginal
attacks and gradually, the drugs, like verapamil, nifedipine,
beta-blockers and nitrates,were reduced.
The patients, most
benefitted, were diabetics (without adding any antidiabetic
drug). The exact mechanism of the action of the above two substances
is not known, but it appears, that probably they act by their high
fibre contents. Both these substances need further evaluation. The
most interesting aspect of the study was that no untoward side
effect was noted and all the five thousand patients are surviving
till date.
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Aloe
kills parasites
An aqueous
extract of Aloe barbadensis (Miller) was used for its antiparasitic action
against an in vitro culture of Trichomonas vaginalis. Three strains of
this parasite were used for the first time in a study. Taking an initial
concentration of 400 mg/mL of the extract, double serial dilutions were
performed, and final concentrations based on the dried weight of the
extract were
10.4, 20.8, 41, 83, and 160 mg/mL. Within 24 hours, percentages of
inhibition greater than 50% were obtained from concentrations of 20.8
micrograms/mL. Similar results were obtained at 48, and 72 hours, with a
lower concentration, the inhibition of growth was greater than 50%.
Aloe baradensis(Miller) in an in-vitro culture of Trichomonas vaginalis].Rev Cubana Med Trop 1995;47(3):181-4
[Article
in Spanish]. Rojas L, Matamoros
M, Garrido N, Finlay C Instituto
de Medicina Tropical Pedro Kouri
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Aloe
vera heals leg ulcers
Some
recent studies appear to show topical and orally administered aloe vera
preparations in patients with chronic venous leg ulcers may aid healing.
Despite encouraging results, in the absence of larger research studies,
the author cautions against generalisation of this complementary
treatment.
Nurs Stand 1998 Jul
1-7;12(41):49-52, 54. Atherton P. Green
College, University of Oxford.
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Aloe
vera leaf gel - a review of research
Research since 1986 confirms the therapeutic claims made in the earlier
papers about the therapeutic effects of Aloe vera. Treatment of
inflammation is still the key effect for most types of healing but it is
now realized that this is a complex process and that many of its
constituent processes may be addressed in different ways by different gel
components.
A common theme running
though most of the research is the beneficial effect on the immune system
of the gel polysaccharides, especially the acetylated mannans from Aloe
vera, which are now a proprietary substance covered by many patents.
However, there are also cautionary investigations warning of possible
allergic effects on some patients. Reports also describe antidiabetic,
anticancer and antibiotic activities, so we may expect to see a widening
use of aloe gel.
Several reputable suppliers
produce a stabilized aloe gel for use as itself or in formulations and
there may be moves towards isolating and eventually providing verified
active ingredients in dosable quantities
This study confirms the
known attributes of using aloe in stimulating the immune system and
speicifically where there is an inflammatory condition.
J
Ethnopharmacol 1999 Dec 15;68(1-3):3-37. Reynolds
T, Dweck AC. Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond,
Surrey, UK
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Comparing
aloe with saline dressing for pressure ulcers
Aloe vera has been used for centuries as a topical treatment for various
conditions and as a therapeutic. An amorphous hydrogel dressing derived
from the aloe plant (Carrasyn Gel Wound Dressing, Carrington Laboratories,
Inc., Irving, TX) is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the
management of Stages I through IV pressure ulcers.
To evaluate its effect, 30
patients were chosen to receive either daily topical application of the
hydrogel study dressing (acemannan hydrogel wound dressing) or a moist
saline gauze dressing. Complete healing of the study ulcer occurred in 19
of 30 subjects (63%) during the 10-week observation period. No difference
was observed in complete healing between the experimental and the control
groups (odds ratio 0.93, 95% CI 0.16, 5.2). This study indicates that the
acemannan hydrogel dressing is as effective as, but is not superior to, a
moist saline gauze wound dressing for the management of pressure ulcers.
Adv Wound Care 1998
Oct;11(6):273-6. Thomas
DR, Goode PS, LaMaster K, Tennyson T. Department of Internal Medicine, SSt. Louis
University, MO, USA
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