In vivo evidence of the immunomodulatory activity of orally administered Aloe vera gel.
The gels of Aloe species contain immunomodulatory components such as aloctin A and acemannan. Most studies on these gels were performed in in vitro cell culture systems. Although several studies examined their immunomodulatory activity in vivo, the route of administration was intraperitoneal or intramuscular. Here, we evaluated the in vivo immunomodulatory activity of processed Aloe vera gel (PAG) in mice. Oral administration of PAG significantly reduced the growth of C. albicans in the spleen and kidney following intravenous injection of C. albicans in normal mice. PAG administration also reduced the growth of C. albicans in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. PAG administration did not increase ovalbumin (OVA)-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) generation in normal mice, but did increase it in high-fat-diet induced diabetic mice. These findings provide the first clear evidence for the immunomodulatory activity of orally administered Aloe vera gel.
Im
Sun-A
SA
College of Pharmacy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, 361-763, Korea.
Lee
Young-Ran
YR
Lee
Young-Hee
YH
Lee
Myung-Koo
MK
Park
Young In
YI
Lee
Sungwon
S
Kim
Kyungjae
K
Lee
Chong-Kil
CK
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000504:Aloe; D000818:Animals; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D005782:Gels; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007668:Kidney / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013154:Spleen / Q000382:microbiology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors
D005782:Gels; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D028321:Plant Preparations; D010047:Ovalbumin