Prevention Of Atheromatous Heart Disease
Agarwal OP
Angiology Aug 1985, 36(8) p485-92

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” and Aloe vera (an indigenous plant known as ghee-guar-ka-patha) 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 tapered. The patients, who most benefited, 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 known side effect was noted and all the five thousand patients are surviving till date. Patients are being followed up for five years and no Indian plant has ever been tried with such success. So this is a unique study of its own type.

To conclude, the Indian plant Aloe vera, when mixed with the Husk of Isabgol, was given to the patients of atherosclerotic heart disease, there was a definite and substantial improvement (about 95%) in their clinical profile apart from bio-chemical changes and ECG tracings.

Hypolipidemic Effect Of Aloe-Barbadensis Aloe FractionI In Cholesterol Fed Albino Rats I. Lipid & Lipoprotein Metabolism
Joshi S; Dixit VP
Reprod. Physiol. Sect., Dep. Zool., Univ. Rajasthan
Proc Natl Acad Sci India Sect B (BIOL SCI) 56 (4), 1986, 339-342

Al. Fr. I feeding (isolated from the leaves of Aloe barbadensis) lowers serum cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids, and NEFA in hyperlipidaemic rats. While Al. Fr. I significantly increases the HDL-Cholesterol which is a negative risk factor for atherosclerosis. Marked increase in HDL-Cholesterol/Total cholesterol ratio and a significant decrease in total cholesterol/phospholipid ratio is indicative of reducing risk in patients suffering from coronary asteriosclerosis.

Antioxidant & Radical Scavenging Effects Of Anthraquinones & Anthrones
Malterud KE; Farbrot TL; Huse AE; Sund RB
Department Of Pharmacognosy, University Of Oslo
Pharmacology 47 Suppl 1():77-85 1993 Oct

The activity of seven anthraquinones and four anthrones against nonenzymatic and enzymatic lipid peroxidation in vitro and their ability to scavenge free radicals have been studied. In nonenzymatic peroxidation in rat hepatocytes induced by t-butyl hydroperoxide, dithranol and anthrone were the strongest antioxidants, having IC50 values of 8 +/- 1 and 24 +/- 5 mumol/l, respectively. Rhein (IC50 64 +/- 2 mumol/l) and Aloe-emodin (IC50 65 +/- 3 mumol/l) showed the highest inhibitory activity against peroxidation of linoleic acid catalyzed by soybean 15-lipoxygenase. Anthrone (IC50 62 +/- 2 mumol/l), dithranol (IC50 72 +/- 1 mumol/l) and rhein anthrone (IC50 76 +/- 6 mumol/l) were the most effective radical scavengers of the diphe-nylpicrylhydrazyl radical. The antioxidant activities in hepatocytes and the radical scavenging activities were correlated, whereas the inhibition of enzymatic lipid peroxidation showed no correlation with the two other effects.

Lowered Blood Pressure

Dr. Collier and his group at Medical Institute, England testified Aloe promoted prostaglandin’s biosynthesis, causing peripheral veins to expand so that blood pressure can get lowered.

Dr. Afzal and his Arabian group confirmed the above phenomenon using Aloe vera.

Aloctin A, Active Substance Of Aloe Arborescens Miller As An Immunomodulator
Imanishi K
Department Of Microbiology & Immunology, Tokyo Women’s Medical College
Phytotherapy Research (1993) Vol 7, No. Special issue, pp. S20-S22. 15 ref.

Aloctin A (Alo A), an active substance isolated from the leaves of A. arborescens, has many biological and pharmacological activities, such as mitogenic activity for lymphocytes, binding of human alpha 2-macroglobulin, complement activation via the alternative pathway, anti-inflammatory activity, anti-ulcer activity and antineoplastic activity. Alo A exhibited immunomodulatory activities on the immune responses of murine and human lymphoid cells in vivo and in vitro.

Purification & Characterization Of Two Lectins From Aloe Arborescens Mill.
Suzuki I; Saito H; Inoue S; Migita S; Takahashi T
J Biochem (Tokyo) 85(1):163-71 1979 Jan

Two lectins have been isolated from leaves of Aloe arborescens Mill by salt precipitation, pH-dependent fractionation and gel filtration. One lectin (P-2) has a molecular weight of approximately 18,000, consists of two subunits (alphabeta) and contains more than 18% by weight of neutral carbohydrate. The smaller subunit (alpha) has a molecular weight of approximately 7,500 and the larger subunit (beta) a molecular weight of approximately 10,500. The other lectin (S-1) has a molecular weight of approximately 24,000, consists of two subunits (gamma2) with a molecular weight of approximately 12,000 and contains more than 50% by weight of neutral carbohydrate. An interesting feature of the amino acid compositions of these lectins is the high proportion of acidic amino acids, such as aspartic acid and glutamic acid, and the low proportion of methionine and histidine. S-1 has a strong hemagglutinating activity. On the other hand, P-2 has not only hemagglutinating activity but also mitogenic activity on lymphocytes, precipitate-forming reactivity with serum proteins, one of which is alpha2-macroglobulin, and complement C3 activating activity via the alternate pathway.

Anti-Inflammatory C-Glucosyl Chromone From Aloe Barbadensis
Hutter JA; Salman M; Stavinoha WB; Satsangi N; Williams RF; Streeper RT; Weintraub ST
Department Of Pharmacology, Research Imaging Center, University Of Texas Health Science Center
J Nat Prod Vol 59, ISS 5, 1996, P541-3

A new anti-inflammatory agent identified as 8-[C-beta-D-[2-O-(E)-cinnamoyl]glucopyranosyl]-2- [(R)-2-hydroxypropyl]-7-methoxy-5-methylchromone (1) has been isolated from Aloe barbadensis Miller. At a dose of 200 microg/mouse ear, 1 exhibited topical anti-inflammatory activity equivalent to 200 microg/ear of hydrocortisone. There was no reduction in thymus weight caused by treatment with 1 for any of the doses tested, while 200 microg/ear of hydrocortisone resulted in a 50% decrease in thymus weight.

Biotransformation Of Aloenin, A Bitter Glucoside Constituent Of Aloe Arborescens By Rats
Hirata T; Sakano S; Suga T
Experientia 37(12):1252-3 1981 Dec 15

Aloenin has been established to be 4-methoxy-6-(2-beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy-4-hydroxy-6-methylphenyl)-2-pyrone; it shows an inhibitory activity for gastric juice secretion. Rats metabolized it to 4-methoxy-6-(2,4-dihydroxy-6-methylphenyl)-2-pyrone, 2,5-dimethyl-7-hydroxychromone and glucose, which were excreted in the feces and the urine. The distribution of the radioactivity originating from 14C-labeled aloenin was studied. The tracer found in the kidney and the liver reached 60% of the amount administered 24 h after feeding and decreased rapidly in the next 24 h.

Biologically Active Constituents Of Leaves & Roots Of Aloe Arborescens Var. Natalensis
Hirata T; Suga T
Z Naturforsch [C], 32(9-10):731-4 1977 Sep-Oct

Several biologically active substances, such as aloenin (1), magnesium lactate, Aloe-emodin (4), barbaloin (5), and succinic acid, were found to be contained in the leaf juice of Aloe arborescens Mill. var. natalensis Berger, which has widely been used in domestic medicines. Aloenin (1) and magnesium lactate were elucidated to exhibit an inhibitory action on the gastric juice secretion of rats. Various constituents other than the above bioactive substances were found in the leaves and the roots of the plant.