title: Assessment of Aloe vera (L.) genotoxic potential on Escherichia coli and plasmid DNA.
abstract: Aloe vera is a tropical plant, known in Brazil as babosa and several reputable suppliers produce a stabilized aloe gel for topic use. Since people use Aloe vera topically, they could be exposed to solar ultraviolet light in addition and it might cause a cross damage effect between these agents. The aim of this work was to investigate the biological effects of Aloe vera pulp extract, associated or not to UVA radiation, on Escherichia coli-deficient repair mutants and plasmid DNA, in order to test its genotoxic potential. Data obtained from analysis of survival fractions, bacterial transformation and agarose gel electrophoresis suggest that Aloe vera has genotoxic properties, but it seems not to be able to damage the cell membrane.
authors.affiliation: Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Departamento de Biofísica e Biometria, IBRAG, UERJ, Avenue 28 de Setembro, 87, Rio de Janeiro 20551-030, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alessandra A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Paes-Leme
authors.forename: Ellen S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Motta
authors.forename: Jose C P
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: De Mattos
authors.forename: Flavio J S
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Dantas
authors.forename: Roberto J A C
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Bezerra
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caldeira-de-Araujo
mesh_terms: D000504:Aloe / Q000633:toxicity*; D004249:DNA Damage; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D010957:Plasmids / Q000187:drug effects*; D014169:Transformation, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays