title: The influence of long-term Aloe vera ingestion on age-related disease in male Fischer 344 rats.
abstract: The effects of long-term Aloe vera ingestion on age-related diseases were investigated using male specific pathogen-free (SPF) Fischer 344 rats. Experimental animals were divided into four groups: Group A, the control rats fed a semi-synthetic diet without Aloe vera; Group B, rats fed a diet containing 1% freeze-dried Aloe vera filet; Group C, rats fed a diet containing 1% charcoal-processed, freeze-dried Aloe vera filet; and Group D, rats fed the control diet and given whole leaf charcoal-processed Aloe vera (0.02%) in the drinking water. This study demonstrates that life-long Aloe vera ingestion produced neither harmful effects nor deleterious changes. In addition, Aloe vera ingestion appeared to be associated with some beneficial effects on age-related diseases. Groups B exhibited significantly less occurrence of multiple causes of death, and a slightly lower incidence of fatal chronic nephropathy compared with Group A rats. Groups B and C rats showed the trend, slightly lower incidences of thrombosis in the cardiac atrium than Group A rats. Therefore, these findings suggest that life-long Aloe vera ingestion does not cause any obvious harmful and deleterious side effects, and could also be beneficial for the prevention of age-related pathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas 78229-3900, USA.
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ikeno
authors.forename: Gene B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Hubbard
authors.forename: Shuko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Byung Pal
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Jeremiah T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Herlihy
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000375:Aging; D000504:Aloe / Q000009:adverse effects; D000818:Animals; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000139:chemically induced; D004032:Diet; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D018515:Plant Leaves; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms