Aloe vera juice, derived from the aloe vera plant, has been used by herbal medicine practitioners and physicians for over 3,500 years, according to H. Panda, author of the "Aloe Vera Handbook." Aloe vera juice is used for a wide range of preventive and healing benefits, some of which have been supported by scientific research. Check with your doctor before using aloe vera juice to treat a medical condition.
Cholesterol
Aloe vera may provide long-term cholesterol-lowering benefits. Researchers at Kyung Hee University in South Korea gave three different preparations of aloe vera to laboratory animals over their entire lifespan and found that cholesterol levels in the aloe vera groups were 30 percent lower than in a control group that did not receive aloe vera. Aloe vera also showed significant ability to prevent oxidation of lipids. Aloe consumption increased activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase. Older animals had lower levels of cholesterol accumulation in their livers. Researchers concluded that lifelong use of aloe vera may decrease cholesterol levels and reduce oxidative damage to lipids. The study was published in the August 2003 issue of the "Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology."
Cancer
Aloe vera may help prevent pancreatic cancer according to a study study published in the April 2002 issue of the journal "Cancer Letters." In the laboratory animal study, five weeks of dietary supplementation with 1 percent and 5 percent aloe significantly reduced the incidence of pancreatic cancer. Lung, liver, gall bladder, kidney and urinary bladder cancers were not significantly reduced by aloe vera juice supplementation.
Wound Healing
Aloe vera juice may speed wound healing and protect against radiation damage, according to a study published in the March 2011 issue of the "American Journal of Surgery." Japanese researchers reported that aloe vera juice applied to skin wounds accelerated healing, increased blood supply and increased healthy tissue production in response to radiation exposure.
Immunity
Aloe vera may help ward off some types of infections. Researchers at the College of Pharmacy, Chungbuk National University, South Korea, in a study on laboratory animals, reported that aloe vera juice significantly inhibited Candida albicans -- the pathogen that causes yeast infections -- in both diabetic and nondiabetic laboratory animals. Researchers noted that their results were the first to demonstrate that aloe vera juice is an effective antimicrobial agent when ingested. Previous studies on aloe's antimicrobial properties used injections. The study was published in the March 2010 issue of the journal "Archives of Pharmaceutical Research."
References
- "Journal of Nutrition Science and Vitaminology"; Efficacy of Dietary Aloe Vera Supplementation on Hepatic Cholesterol and Oxidative Status in Aged Rats; B.O. Lim et al.; August 2003
- "Cancer Letters"; Chemopreventive Effects of Aloe Arborescens on N-nitrosobis(2-oxopropyl)amine-induced Pancreatic Carcinogenesis in Hamsters; F. Furukawa et al.; April 2005
- "American Journal of Surgery"; Aloe Vera Oral Administration Accelerates Acute Radiation-delayed Wound Healing by Stimulating Transforming Growth Factor-β and Fibroblast Growth Factor Production; A. Atiba; March 2009
- "Archives of Pharmacal Research"; In Vivo Evidence of the Immunomodulatory Activity of Orally Administered Aloe Vera Gel; S.A. Im et al. March 2010
- "Aloe Vera Handbook"; H. Panda; 2001
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