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Aloe Vera
What is Aloe? Why would people consume drinks
Aloe is a succulent plant widely used that have Aloe in them?
in alternative medicine. There are at Product advertisements claim
least 420 different plant species the drinks can be used to cleanse
of Aloe. Aloe vera specifically refers the digestive system or relieve
to the Aloe barbadensis Miller plant, constipation.
which is the most common form used What makes Aloe act like a laxative?
in Aloe-based products.
An organic component in the outer
How is Aloe used? leaf pulp of Aloe leaves, known as the
Traditionally, the clear gel from the latex, contains anthraquinones. Aloin
Aloe plant is rubbed on the skin as an is an example of an anthraquinone
ointment to treat wounds and burns. found in the latex that may give the
The green part of the leaf can be plant its laxative qualities.
What is the difference between
made into a juice or dried and taken decolorized and non-decolorized Aloe? How much aloin is in products
orally as a laxative. Aloe vera is used in The difference between decolorized in the U.S. that may be consumed
many commercial products in various and non-decolorized whole leaf by the public?
forms, including drinks, concentrates, extracts is mostly in how the leaf is There are very little data about what
capsules, powders, and as a flavoring. processed or filtered. In many cases, the levels of aloin are in consumer
Why did NTP study Aloe? manufacturers of oral products products. According to published
containing Aloe vera use a charcoal research, levels of aloin in most
The nomination to study Aloe
filtration process to decolorize and liquid products are less than one part
vera came from the National
remove some of the components from per million (ppm). However, levels
Cancer Institute, because of Aloe’s
the leaf, including anthraquinones, in solid or semisolid products may be
widespread use and concern that some
which act like laxatives. Some 10 to 100 times higher.
components may cause cancer. The NTP
studies on Aloe vera were conducted anthraquinones have previously been
in collaboration with the U.S. Food and shown to be carcinogenic.
Drug Administration (FDA) National If I use Aloe vera gel on my skin, Aloe Vera
Center for Toxicological Research. will it cause me harm?
What did the NTP study find? Applying Aloe vera gel on the skin The two-year NTP study on
The two-year NTP study of a is not likely to cause harm. Although consumption of non-decolorized
these particular NTP studies only whole leaf extract of Aloe
non-decolorized whole leaf extract
looked at oral exposure to Aloe vera, vera found clear evidence of
of Aloe vera given in an animal’s
other NTP studies examined the carcinogenic activity in male
drinking water found clear evidence
effects of the gel on skin, and
of carcinogenic activity in male and and female rats, based on
did not find a strong link between
female rats, based on tumors of the tumors of the large intestine.
Aloe vera in skin care products,
large intestine. There was no evidence More information, including
sunlight, and the development
of carcinogenic activity in mice. how individuals use different
of skin cancer. The results of the
NTP did not conduct two-year skin studies were reported in NTP types of Aloe vera products,
studies of ingestion of the Aloe vera Technical Report 553 at http://ntp. is needed to determine the
gel or of the plant’s decolorized whole niehs.nih.gov/ntp/htdocs/LT_rpts/ potential risks to humans.
leaf extracts. TR553.pdf.
Aloe vera
altering existing treatments or
starting any new treatment. appreciated include what products
are actually in the marketplace;
How similar are the doses of what are the aloin levels across a
aloin in the drinking water fed broad spectrum of products; and
to the animals to those found in Where can I find out more about
Aloe vera products? what are the patterns of human
exposure. There is not enough Aloe vera?
This is not clear, as there are no
information currently available to The NTP data and reports are
labeling requirements to list aloin
know how much Aloe vera people available at
content in consumer products. http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/htdocs/
are consuming or for how long.
The concentration of aloin in the lt_rpts/tr577_508.pdf
water rodents drank in the NTP study Based on what we know right now,
is similar to that found in some Aloe there is nothing that would lead us National Center for Complementary
and Integrative Health
vera products, but higher than in to believe this finding would not be https://nccih.nih.gov/health/aloevera
other products. relevant to humans.