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Journal ArticleDOI

Composition and Applications of Aloe vera Leaf Gel

08 Aug 2008-Molecules (Molecules)-Vol. 13, Iss: 8, pp 1599-1616
TL;DR: The aim of this review is to further highlight recently discovered effects and applications of the leaf gel of A. vera to enhance the intestinal absorption and bioavailability of co-administered compounds as well as enhancement of skin permeation.
Abstract: Many of the health benefits associated with Aloe vera have been attributed to the polysaccharides contained in the gel of the leaves. These biological activities include promotion of wound healing, antifungal activity, hypoglycemic or antidiabetic effects antiinflammatory, anticancer, immunomodulatory and gastroprotective properties. While the known biological activities of A. vera will be briefly discussed, it is the aim of this review to further highlight recently discovered effects and applications of the leaf gel. These effects include the potential of whole leaf or inner fillet gel liquid preparations of A. vera to enhance the intestinal absorption and bioavailability of co-administered compounds as well as enhancement of skin permeation. In addition, important pharmaceutical applications such as the use of the dried A. vera gel powder as an excipient in sustained release pharmaceutical dosage forms will be outlined.

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Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The present review focuses on the detailed composition of Aloe gel, its various phytocomponents having various biological properties that help to improve health and prevent disease conditions.

348 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A review of medicinal plants traditionally used for diabetes management in Nigeria and ways in which their therapeutic potential can be properly harnessed for possible integration into the country's healthcare system are highlighted.

335 citations


Cites background from "Composition and Applications of Alo..."

  • ...noreugenin, Ascorbic acid, β-carotene, α-tocopherol (Hamman, 2008); Myricetin, Kaempferol, Quercetin (Sultana and Anwar, 2008) Causes an opening of the tight junction...

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  • ...…(Hamman, 2008); Myricetin, Kaempferol, Quercetin (Sultana and Anwar, 2008) Causes an opening of the tight junction between adjascent epithelial cells thereby increasing paracellular transport, with the potential to increase oral drug absorption (Hamman, 2008) 11 Alstonia boonei De Wild....

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  • ...…acid, Isorabaichromone, Neoaloesin A, Isoaloeresin D, 8-C-glucosyl derivatives of aloediol, aloesol, noreugenin, Ascorbic acid, β-carotene, α-tocopherol (Hamman, 2008); Myricetin, Kaempferol, Quercetin (Sultana and Anwar, 2008) Causes an opening of the tight junction between adjascent epithelial…...

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A comprehensive summary of the pharmacology, toxicity, and pharmacokinetics of aloe‐emodin reported to date is provided with an emphasis on its biological properties and mechanisms of action.
Abstract: Emodin is a natural anthraquinone derivative that occurs in many widely used Chinese medicinal herbs, such as Rheum palmatum, Polygonum cuspidatum and Polygonum multiflorum Emodin has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for over 2000 years and is still present in various herbal preparations Emerging evidence indicates that emodin possesses a wide spectrum of pharmacological properties, including anticancer, hepatoprotective, antiinflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities However, emodin could also lead to hepatotoxicity, kidney toxicity and reproductive toxicity, particularly in high doses and with long-term use Pharmacokinetic studies have demonstrated that emodin has poor oral bioavailability in rats because of its extensive glucuronidation This review aims to comprehensively summarize the pharmacology, toxicity and pharmacokinetics of emodin reported to date with an emphasis on its biological properties and mechanisms of action Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

335 citations


Cites background from "Composition and Applications of Alo..."

  • ...Huh‐7 cells Downregulates CAPN2 and UBE3A proteins In vitro Jeon et al. (2012) MCF‐7 cells Inhibits cell proliferation, adhesion, invasion, and induces apoptosis; Downregulates ERα protein levels; Ras/ERK and PI3K/mTOR pathways In vitro Chen et al....

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  • ...…herbs, such as Cassia occidentalis, Rheum palmatum L., Aloe vera, and Polygonum multiflorumThunb, that are used as traditional medicines in many countries (Panigrahi, Mudiam, Vashishtha, Raisuddin, & Das, 2015; Huang, Lu, Shen, Chuang, & Ong, 2007; Hamman, 2008; Yi, Leung, Lu, Zhang, & Chan, 2007)....

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  • ..., Aloe vera, and Polygonum multiflorumThunb, that are used as traditional medicines in many countries (Panigrahi, Mudiam, Vashishtha, Raisuddin, & Das, 2015; Huang, Lu, Shen, Chuang, & Ong, 2007; Hamman, 2008; Yi, Leung, Lu, Zhang, & Chan, 2007)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This article gives a general overview about the recent advances in traditional therapies for skin wound healing, focusing on the therapeutic activity, action mechanisms, and clinical trials of the most commonly used natural compounds.
Abstract: Significance: The regeneration of healthy and functional skin remains a huge challenge due to its multilayer structure and the presence of different cell types within the extracellular matrix in an organized way. Despite recent advances in wound care products, traditional therapies based on natural origin compounds, such as plant extracts, honey, and larvae, are interesting alternatives. These therapies offer new possibilities for the treatment of skin diseases, enhancing the access to the healthcare, and allowing overcoming some limitations associated to the modern products and therapies, such as the high costs, the long manufacturing times, and the increase in the bacterial resistance. This article gives a general overview about the recent advances in traditional therapies for skin wound healing, focusing on the therapeutic activity, action mechanisms, and clinical trials of the most commonly used natural compounds. New insights in the combination of traditional products with modern treatments and future challenges in the field are also highlighted. Recent Advances: Natural compounds have been used in skin wound care for many years due to their therapeutic activities, including anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and cell-stimulating properties. The clinical efficacy of these compounds has been investigated through in vitro and in vivo trials using both animal models and humans. Besides the important progress regarding the development of novel extraction methods, purification procedures, quality control assessment, and treatment protocols, the exact mechanisms of action, side effects, and safety of these compounds need further research. Critical Issues: The repair of skin lesions is one of the most complex biological processes in humans, occurring throughout an orchestrated cascade of overlapping biochemical and cellular events. To stimulate the regeneration process and prevent the wound to fail the healing, traditional therapies and natural products have been used with promising results. Although these products are in general less expensive than the modern treatments, they can be sensitive to the geographic location and season, and exhibit batch-to-batch variation, which can lead to unexpected allergic reactions, side effects, and contradictory clinical results. Future Directions: The scientific evidence for the use of traditional therapies in wound healing indicates beneficial effects in the treatment of different lesions. However, specific challenges remain unsolved. To extend the efficacy and the usage of natural substances in wound care, multidisciplinary efforts are necessary to prove the safety of these products, investigate their side effects, and develop standard controlled trials. The development of good manufacturing practices and regulatory legislation also assume a pivotal role in order to improve the use of traditional therapies by the clinicians and to promote their integration into the national health system. Current trends move to the development of innovative wound care treatments, combining the use of traditional healing agents and modern products/practices, such as nanofibers containing silver nanoparticles, Aloe vera loaded into alginate hydrogels, propolis into dressing films, and hydrogel sheets containing honey.

308 citations

BookDOI
25 Jun 2010
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a survey of the properties of different types of green algae, including green algae (Cyanobacteria), green tea, green tea extract, and green tea chlorophyll.
Abstract: S-Adenosylmethionine Jose M. Mato and Shelly C. Lu Aloe Vera Santiago Rodriguez, Steven Dentali, and Devon Powell Androstenedione Benjamin Z. Leder L-Arginine Mauro Maccario, Guglielmo Beccuti, Valentina Gasco, Mariangela Seardo, Gianluca Aimaretti, Emanuela Arvat, Fabio Lanfranco, and Ezio Ghigo Astragalus Roy Upton Bilberry Marilyn Barrett Biotin Donald M. Mock Bitter Orange Steffany Haaz, K. Y. Williams, Kevin R. Fontaine, and David B. Allison Black Cohosh Daniel S. Fabricant, Elizabeth C. Krause, and Norman R. Farnsworth Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria) WayneW. Carmichael and Mary Stukenberg with Joseph M. Betz Boron Curtiss Hunt Caffeine Harris R. Lieberman, Christina E. Carvey, and Lauren A. Thompson Calcium Robert P. Heaney Propionyl-L-Carnitine Charles J. Rebouche ss-Carotene Elizabeth J. Johnson and Robert M. Russell Carotenoids Overview Elizabeth J. Johnson and Robert M. Russell Cascara Sagrada Kapil K. Soni and Gail B. Mahady Chaste Tree Gail B. Mahady, Joanna L. Michel, and Kapil K. Soni Choline Steven H. Zeisel Chondroitin Sulfate Karla L. Miller and Daniel O. Clegg Chromium Richard A. Anderson andWilliam T. Cefalu Coenzyme Q10 Gustav Dallner and Roland Stocker Conjugated Linoleic Acid Kristina B. Martinez, Arion J. Kennedy, and Michael K. McIntosh Copper Leslie M. Klevay Cordyceps John Holliday, Matt Cleaver, Mojca Tajnik, Joseph M. Cerecedes, and Solomon P. Wasser Cranberry Marguerite A. Klein Creatine G. S. Salomons, C. Jakobs, and M. Wyss Dong Quai Roy Upton Dehydroepiandrosterone Salvatore Alesci, Irini Manoli, and Marc R. Blackman Rudolf Bauer and Karin Woelkart Elderberry Madeleine Mumcuoglu, Daniel Safirman, and Mina Ferne Eleuthero Josef A. Brinckmann Ephedra Anne L. Thurn with Joseph M. Betz Evening Primrose Fereidoon Shahidi and Homan Miraliakbari Feverfew Dennis V. C. Awang Flaxseed Lilian U. Thompson and Julie K. Mason Folate Pamela Bagley and Barry Shane French Maritime Pine Peter J. Rohdewald Garcinia Frank Greenway Garlic J. A. Milner Ginger Tieraona Low Dog Ginkgo Kristian Stromgaard, Stine B. Vogensen, Joseph Steet, and Koji Nakanishi Ginseng, American Chong-Zhi Wang and Chun-Su Yuan Ginseng, Asian Lee Jia and Fabio Soldati Glucosamine Karla L. Miller and Daniel O. Clegg Glutamine Steven F. Abcouwer Goldenseal Dennis J. McKenna and Gregory A. Plotnikoff Grape Seed Extract Dallas L. Clouatre, Chithan Kandaswami, and Kevin M. Connolly Green Tea Polyphenols Shengmin Sang, Joshua D. Lambert, Chi-Tang Ho, and Chung S. Yang Hawthorn Egon Koch, Werner R. Busse,Wiltrud Juretzek, and Vitali Chevts 5-Hydroxytryptophan Pedro Del Corral, Kathryn S. King, and Karel Pacak Iron Laura E. Murray-Kolb and John Beard Isoflavones Mark Messina Isothiocyanates Elizabeth H. Jeffery and Anna-Sigrid Keck Kava Michael J. Balick, Katherine Herrera, and Steven M. Musser Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria Linda C. Duffy, Stephen Sporn, Patricia Hibberd, Carol Pontzer, Gloria Solano-Aguilar, Susan V. Lynch, and Crystal McDade-Ngutter Licorice Decio Armanini, Cristina Fiore, Jens Bielenberg, and Eugenio Ragazzi alpha-Lipoic Acid/Thioctic Acid Donald B. McCormick Lutein John Paul SanGiovanni, Emily Y. Chew, and Elizabeth J. Johnson Lycopene Rachel Kopec, Steven J. Schwartz, and Craig Hadley Maca Ilias Muhammad, Jianping Zhao, and Ikhlas A. Khan Magnesium Robert K. Rude Melatonin Amnon Brzezinski and Richard J. Wurtman Milk Thistle Elena Ladas, David J. Kroll, and Kara M. Kelly Niacin Christelle Bourgeois and Joel Moss Noni Alison D. Pawlus, Bao-Ning Su, Ye Deng, and A. Douglas Kinghorn Omega-3 Fatty Acids William S. Harris Omega-6 Fatty Acids William L. Smith and Bill Lands Pancreatic Enzymes Naresh Sundaresan, Unwanaobong Nseyo, and Joel Moss Pantothenic Acid Lawrence Sweetman Pau d'Arco Memory P. F. Elvin-Lewis and Walter H. Lewis Phosphorus John J. B. Anderson and Sanford C. Garner Polyphenols Overview Navindra P. Seeram Proanthocyanidins Catherine Kwik-Uribe, Rebecca Robbins, and Gary Beecher Pygeum Franc,ois G. Brackman and Alan Edgar with Paul M. Coates Quercetin Jae B. Park Red Clover Elizabeth C. Krause, Nancy L. Booth, Colleen E. Piersen, and Norman R. Farnsworth Reishi Solomon P. Wasser Riboflavin Richard S. Rivlin Saw Palmetto Edward M. Croom and Michael Chan Selenium Roger A. Sunde Shiitake Solomon P. Wasser St. John's Wort Jerry M. Cott Taurine Robin J. Marles, Valerie A. Assinewe, Julia A. Fogg, Milosz Kaczmarek, and Michael C. W. Sek Thiamin Hamid M. Said Turmeric Janet L. Funk Valerian Dennis V. C. Awang Vitamin A A. Catharine Ross Vitamin B6 James E. Leklem Vitamin B12 Lindsay H. Allen Vitamin C Sebastian Padayatty, Michael Graham Espey, and Mark Levine Vitamin D Patsy Brannon, Mary Frances Picciano, and Michelle K. McGuire Vitamin E Maret G. Traber Vitamin K J. W. Suttie Yohimbe Joseph M. Betz Zinc Carolyn S. Chung and Janet C. King Index

288 citations

References
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A selection of the most important polysaccharides, usually non-toxic, biocompatible and show a number of peculiar physico-chemical properties that make them suitable for different applications in drug delivery systems, are reviewed.

897 citations


"Composition and Applications of Alo..." refers background in this paper

  • ...Monosaccharide polymers have many favourable properties such as high stability, nontoxicity, hydrophilicity, biodegradability, gel forming properties and ease of chemical modification [1,2]....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A large number of polysaccharides have already been studied for their potential as colon-specific drug carrier systems, such as chitosan, pectin, chondroitin sulphate, cyclodextrin, dextrans, guar gum, inulin, amylose and locust bean gum.

822 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Research since the 1986 review has largely upheld the therapeutic claims made in the earlier papers and indeed extended them into other areas and a common theme running though much recent research is the immunomodulatory properties of the gel polysaccharides, especially the acetylated mannans from Aloe vera, which are now a proprietary substance covered by many patents.

815 citations


"Composition and Applications of Alo..." refers background in this paper

  • ...Furthermore, it is not always clear what constituent of the aloe leaf was tested in some studies, which makes it difficult to correlate the effect (or lack of effect) with the product tested [17,38]....

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  • ...vera gel have therapeutic properties such as immunostimulation, anti-inflammatory effects, wound healing, promotion of radiation damage repair, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-diabetic and anti-neoplastic activities, stimulation of hematopoiesis and anti-oxidant effects [4,7,38]....

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  • ...The two fractions from aloes that are claimed to have anti-cancer effects include glycoproteins (lectins) and polysaccharides [38]....

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  • ...vera gel will only be briefly described in this review as it has been comprehensively discussed elsewhere [19,22,38]....

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  • ...However, some other immunomodulation effects were shown to be linked to glycoproteins, namely lectins, found in aloe gel [38]....

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Journal ArticleDOI
Kojo Eshun1, Qian He1
TL;DR: Chemical analysis reveals that Aloe vera contains various carbohydrate polymers, notably glucomannans, along with a range of other organic and inorganic components.
Abstract: Scientific investigations on Aloe vera have gained more attention over the last several decades due to its reputable medicinal properties. Some publications have appeared in reputable Scientific Journals that have made appreciable contributions to the discovery of the functions and utilizations of Aloe--"nature's gift." Chemical analysis reveals that Aloe vera contains various carbohydrate polymers, notably glucomannans, along with a range of other organic and inorganic components. Although many physiological properties of Aloe vera have been described, it still remains uncertain as to which of the component(s) is responsible for these physiological properties. Further research needs to be done to unravel the myth surrounding the biological activities and the functional properties of A. vera. Appropriate processing techniques should be employed during the stabilization of the gel in order to affect and extend its field of utilization.

605 citations


"Composition and Applications of Alo..." refers background in this paper

  • ...In the pharmaceutical industry, it has been used for the manufacture of topical products such as ointments and gel preparations, as well as in the production of tablets and capsules [10,11]....

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  • ...These discrepancies in glucose to mannose ratios have been explained by differences between species as well as due to sample processing and treatment [10,14]....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The structure of mannans and some biochemical properties and applications of mannan-degrading enzymes are reported, showing a complex system of sulfated structure.
Abstract: Hemicellulose is a complex group of heterogeneous polymers and represents one of the major sources of renewable organic matter. Mannan is one of the major constituent groups of hemicellulose in the wall of higher plants. It comprises linear or branched polymers derived from sugars such as d-mannose, d-galactose, and d-glucose. The principal component of softwood hemicellulose is glucomannan. Structural studies revealed that the galactosyl side chain hydrogen interacts to the mannan backbone intramolecularly and provides structural stability. Differences in the distribution of d-galactosyl units along the mannan structure are found in galactomannans from different sources. Acetyl groups were identified and distributed irregularly in glucomannan. Some of the mannosyl units of galactoglucomannan are partially substituted by O-acetyl groups. Some unusual structures are found in the mannan family from seaweed, showing a complex system of sulfated structure. Endohydrolases and exohydrolases are involved in the breakdown of the mannan backbone to oligosaccharides or fermentable sugars. The main-chain mannan-degrading enzymes include β-mannanase, β-glucosidase, and β-mannosidase. Additional enzymes such as acetyl mannan esterase and α-galactosidase are required to remove side-chain substituents that are attached at various points on mannan, creating more sites for subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis. Mannan-degrading enzymes have found applications in the pharmaceutical, food, feed, and pulp and paper industries. This review reports the structure of mannans and some biochemical properties and applications of mannan-degrading enzymes.

590 citations


"Composition and Applications of Alo..." refers background in this paper

  • ...Linear mannans are homopolysaccharides that are composed of linear chains of β(1→4)-D-mannopyranosyl residues with less than 5% galactose [21]....

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  • ...The molecular weights of these polysaccharides range from 30-40 kDa or greater and is usually as high as 1000 kDa in fresh aloe leaf material [18,21,22]....

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  • ...The backbone of galactoglucomannans consists of β-(1→4)-D-mannopyranosyl and β-(1→4)-D-glucopyranosyl residues with a α-(1→6)-D-galactopyranosyl and O-acetyl groups [21]....

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