title: Oral administration of Aloe vera gel, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory herbal remedy, stimulates cell-mediated immunity and antibody production in a mouse model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. (Aloe barbadensis Mill) Liliaceae, succulent plant native to northern Africa, is presently cultivated in many regions of the world. Traditionally, its inner part of parenchyma, which contains aloe gel, was used for the treatment of minor wounds, inflammatory skin disorders, thermal and radiation burns and to alleviate chronic osteoarthritis pain. It also possesses some antimicrobial activity. Now, aloe gel is also increasingly consumed as a dietary supplement. Some data suggest its immunomodulatory properties.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of orally administered aloe gel on some parameters of cellular and humoral immunity viz. mitogen-induced proliferation of splenic lymphocytes and their chemokinetic activity, and anti-sheep red blood cells (SRBC) antibody production in Balb/c mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Daily treatment of mice for 14 and 21 days with 50 µl or 150 µl of aloe gel dose resulted in enhanced chemokinetic activity and stronger response of their splenic lymphocytes to mitogen PHA and enhancement of anti-SRBC antibody production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Biochemistry and Nutrition, Warsaw Medical University, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Barbara Joanna
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Bałan
authors.affiliation: Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niemcewicz
authors.affiliation: Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kocik
authors.affiliation: CKR Rehabilitation Center, Konstancin-Jeziorna, Poland.
authors.forename: Leszek
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Pathology Department, Center for Biostructure Research, Warsaw Medical University, Warsaw, Poland ; Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Skopińska-Różewska
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Center for Biostructure Research, Warsaw Medical University, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Skopiński
keywords: aloe gel; antibody production; chemokinesis; mice; proliferation; splenocytes