37.8%

There was a marked in the beneficial HDL/Total Cholesterol ratios. (Bixit and Joshi, 1983)
A third investigation was performed studying 5,000 patients who were fed the husks of a local Indian plant, isabgal, which provided fiber, and Aloe gel as a beverage. There were some remarkable effects in three important areas:

1. Lipid Metabolism
• Decreased total cholesterol.
  
• Decreased triglycerides.
  
• Increased HDL cholesterol.
  
• Carbohydrate Metabolism
  • Decreased fasting blood sugar levels in diabetic patients.
    
  • Decreased post-prandial (after a meal) elevation in blood sugar levels in diabetic patients.
    
  • Angina pectoris (chest pain from insufficient delivery of oxygen to the heart.)
  • Decreased frequency of anginal attacks.

 

These data in the human study suggest that the benefit from the regimen, at least in part attributable to the ingested Aloe beverage, may have salubrious effects on several systems in the body. (Agarwal, 1985)

Anti-Cancer Actions

One of the common experimental cancer models is sarcoma-180. When Aloe was administered to mice bearing S-180 tumors, the tumor growth was inhibited. (Soeda, 1969; Suzuki, 1979)

Similarly, Alexin B, a specific molecule species derived from Aloe, was shown to possess anti-cancer activity against lymphocytic leukemia. (Suzuki, 1979a) Additional investigations revealed that another molecular species derived from Aloe, Aloctin-A, had anti-tumor activity, but the action was to bolster the immune system rather than a direct anti-tumor activity. (Imanishi et al, 1981)

Immune System

There are several mechanisms which contribute to the immunological protection enjoyed by normal persons. Among these mechanisms the ingestion of bacteria and other potentially harmful agents by certain white blood cells (a process termed phagocytosis) and the formation of antibodies (formed by another group of white cells, the beta-lymphocytes) are probably the most important. Scientific evidence suggests that Aloe gel contains substances which are active both in stimulating phagocytosis as well as stimulating the formation of antibodies.

In one study, the Aloe fractions were shown to increase phagocytosis when injected into guinea pigs. (Stepanava et al, 1977) In another study, mice were injected intraperitoneally with Escherichia coli, which caused a serious infection to develop in the abdominal cavity, namely, peritonitis. Injects of materials from two species of Aloe (Aloe barteri and Aloe ferox) both stimulated phagocytic activity in the animals. (Delaveau et al, 1980) It was demonstrated that phagocytic activity was depressed in adult patients with bronchial asthma. A mixture of amino acids derived from Aloe enhanced the depressed phagocytic function of the white blood cells in these asthma patients. (Yagi et al, 1987) In an additional study when certain materials (lectins) purified from Aloe were added to human lymphocytes raised in tissue cultures, the human white cells were stimulated to produce antibodies. (Suzuki et al, 1979)

In plasma there are four interacting systems which serve vital protective functions. These include the following:

1. Intrinsic coagulation (blood clotting)
   
2. Plasminogen(prevention and dissolving of intravascular clots)
   
3. Kinninogen (inflammation)
   
4. Complement (destruction of intravascular bacteria)

The latter system, the complement system, consists of a series of proteins which require activation. When activated these proteins interact sequentially - a cascade phenomenon - and form circular, doughnut-shaped proteins, which are inserted into the surface membranes of bacteria, literally causing "holes" which permit the interior of the bacterium to become exposed to the environment, causing the death of the organism. Normally this complement system is stimulated by the presence of polysaccharides on the surface of the invading organism. Studies have shown that the polysaccharides (glucomannans) of Aloe can perform this function. (t'Hart et al, 1988; t'Hart et al, 1989)

There are several additional beneficial actions of ingested Aloe presented in the literature. True, many of the anecdotal reports have been studied in animal models, giving credence to the anecdotal information. Other reported benefits in human subjects have yet to be documented by scientific investigations. A number of studies are currently underway in various laboratories across the country and in other countries as well.
Three salient points are of vital significance in providing credibility to scientific studies: (1) How are the polysaccharides handled in the digestive tract? (2) As the juice is so "dilute" is there really sufficient material absorbed to account for the reported benefits? (3) What amount of juice would be required orally, on the average, to provide a beneficial effect?

The answers are:

• The polysaccharides are not digested by the enzyme systems in the human digestive tract; these mannose-containing molecules are absorbed by endocytosis, i.e., they are taken up into the cell intact.
  
• Apparently, from the animal experiments, very small amounts of Aloe constituents are required to produce a beneficial effect.
  
• In human subjects, beneficial actions are readily apparent with the ingestion of 2 ounces twice daily.

Note : Drink as much water as you can in a day for best results.

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