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LE Magazine April 2002
Abstracts of Published Studies Indicating Aloe's Potential Efficacy Against Cancer
| Aloe-emodin is a new type of anticancer agent with selective activity against neuroectodermal tumors. |
| Pecere T, Gazzola MV, Mucignat C, Parolin C, Vecchia FD, Cavaggioni A, Basso G, Diaspro A, Salvato B, Carli M, Palu G. |
| Department of Histology, Microbiology, and Medical Biotechnologies, Medical School, University of Padova, Italy. |
Here we report that aloe-emodin (AE), a hydroxyanthraquinone present in Aloe vera leaves, has a specific in vitro and in vivo antineuroectodermal tumor activity. The growth of human neuroectodermal tumors is inhibited in mice with severe combined immunodeficiency without any appreciable toxic effects on the animals. The compound does not inhibit the proliferation of normal fibroblasts nor that of hemopoietic progenitor cells. The cytotoxicity mechanism consists of the induction of apoptosis, whereas the selectivity against neuroectodermal tumor cells is founded on a specific energy-dependent pathway of drug incorporation. Taking into account its unique cytotoxicity profile and mode of action, AE might represent a conceptually new lead antitumor drug. Cancer Res 2000 Jun 1;60(11):2800-4 Aloe Vera has been claimed to contain several important therapeutic properties, including anticancer effects. The effect of Aloe Vera administration was studied on a pleural tumor in rat. Growth of Yoshida AH-130 ascite hepatoma cells injected (2 x 10(5) in 0.1 ml) into pleura of male inbred Fisher rats was evaluated at different times (7th and 14th days). Data show that the use of Aloe Vera proved a therapeutic method, and that the present experimental model could be useful in the study of other therapeutics treatments in vivo.
Int J Tissue React 1998;20(4):115-8
| The therapeutic potential of Aloe Vera in tumor-bearing rats. |
| Corsi MM, Bertelli AA, Gaja G, Fulgenzi A, Ferrero ME. |
| Institute of General Pathology, Medical Faculty, University of Milan, Italy. |
Aloe Vera has been claimed to contain several important therapeutic properties, including anticancer effects. The effect of Aloe Vera administration was studied on a pleural tumor in rat. Growth of Yoshida AH-130 ascite hepatoma cells injected (2 x 10(5) in 0.1 ml) into pleura of male inbred Fisher rats was evaluated at different times (7th and 14th days). Data show that the use of Aloe Vera proved a therapeutic method, and that the present experimental model could be useful in the study of other therapeutics treatments in vivo.
Int J Tissue React 1998;20(4):115-8
Activation of a mouse macrophage cell line by acemannan:
the major carbohydrate fraction from Aloe vera gel. |
| Zhang L, Tizard IR. |
| Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Texas A & M University College Station 77843, USA. |
Acemannan is the name given to the major carbohydrate fraction obtained from the gel of the Aloe vera leaf. It has been claimed to have several important therapeutic properties including acceleration of wound healing, immune stimulation, anti-cancer and anti-viral effects. However, the biological mechanisms of these activities are unclear. Because of this wide diversity of effects, it is believed that they may be exerted through pluripotent effector cells such as macrophages. The effects of acemannan on the mouse macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7 cells were therefore investigated. It was found that acemannan could stimulate macrophage cytokine production, nitric oxide release, surface molecule expression, and cell morphologic changes. The production of the cytokines IL-6 and TNF-alpha were dependent on the dose of acemannan provided. Nitric oxide production, cell morphologic changes and surface antigen expression were increased in response to stimulation by a mixture of acemannan and IFN-gamma. These results suggest that acemannan may function, at least in part, through macrophage activation.
Immunopharmacology 1996 Nov;35(2):119-28
Tumor inhibitors. 114. Aloe emodin:
antileukemic principle isolated from Rhamnus frangula L. |
| Kupchan SM, Karim A. |
A systematic fractionation of an ethanol-water (1:1) extract of the seeds of Rhamnus frangula L., guided by assays for tumore-inhibitory activity, led to the isolation of aloe emodin (1). This compound was found to show significant antileukemic activity against the P-388 lymphocytic leukemia in mice. A note-worthy vehicle-dependence of the testing results is reported. In the light of this vehicle-dependence, the re-examination of other anthraquinone derivatives is recommended.
Lloydia 1976 Jul-Aug;39(4):223-4
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