• B K Vogler and E Ernst.
• Department of Complementary Medicine, School of Postgraduate Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Exeter.
• Br J Gen Pract. 1999 Oct 1; 49 (447): 823828823-8.

BackgroundThe use of aloe vera is being promoted for a large variety of conditions. Often general practitioners seem to know less than their patients about its alleged benefits.AimTo define the clinical effectiveness of aloe vera, a popular herbal remedy in the United Kingdom.MethodFour independent literature searches were conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Biosis, and the Cochrane Library. Only controlled clinical trials (on any indication) were included. There were no restrictions on the language of publication. All trials were read by both authors and data were extracted in a standardized, pre-defined manner.ResultsTen studies were located. They suggest that oral administration of aloe vera might be a useful adjunct for lowering blood glucose in diabetic patients as well as for reducing blood lipid levels in patients with hyperlipidaemia. Topical application of aloe vera is not an effective preventative for radiation-induced injuries. It might be effective for genital herpes and psoriasis. Whether it promotes wound healing is unclear. There are major caveats associated with all of these statements.ConclusionEven though there are some promising results, clinical effectiveness of oral or topical aloe vera is not sufficiently defined at present.

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