\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n <!-' + '- message, attachments, sig -' + '->\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n <!-' + '- icon and title -' + '->\r\n \r\n \r\n\r\n  \r\n\r\n The Many Sides of Aloe\r\n
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\nThe internal use of aloe has a storied history, according to Robert A. Sinnott, Ph.D., senior vice president for research and development and chief science officer, Mannatech Inc. �Aloe was used internally, thousands of years ago; it�s a great laxative and diuretic,� he said. �It�s had a variety of gastrointestinal (GI) tract uses throughout history. More recently, research is starting to show that some of the compounds that are in the polysaccharides that are in aloe are specific anti-microbial compounds. It�s turning out that they�re particularly good at regulating the bacteria that grows within your GI tract.�
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\nAccording to Apps, aloe can be used as a GI tonic, to relieve the pain of peptic ulcers, soothe indigestion and flatulence, help heal gastric lesions and prevent damage to the GI system. It may even ease the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), she added, noting further investigation is needed.
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\nIn a 2006 study, researchers at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, compared the effects of aloe vera and sucralfate on gastric microcirculatory changes, cytokine levels and gastric ulcer healing in rats.2 In the ulcer groups treated with sucralfate and aloe on days 1 and 8, gastric inflammation was reduced, epithelial cell proliferation was enhanced and gastric glands became elongated. The ulcer sizes were also reduced compared to the ulcer group without treatment. It was concluded that aloe vera treatment can reduce leukocyte adherence and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- alpha levels, elevate interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels and promote gastric ulcer healing.
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\nBecause of aloe�s soothing and anti-inflammatory properties, researchers at the Institute of Cellular and Molecular Science, London, studied the effects of aloe on inflammatory IBS.3 Forty four subjects with IBS were randomly given oral aloe vera gel or a placebo twice daily for four weeks and changes in the Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index (SCCAI) were measured. The SCCAI and histological scores decreased significantly during treatment with aloe vera. The researchers concluded oral aloe vera produced a clinical response more often than placebo; aloe vera also reduced the histological disease activity and appeared to be safe.
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\nSimilarly, researchers at St. George�s Hospital medical school, London, assessed the ef ficacy of aloe vera on IBS.4 Patients were randomized to receive either aloe vera or a placebo for a month. Diarrhea predominant patients showed a trend toward a response to treatment, but there was no evidence that aloe vera benefited patients with IBS.
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\nDiabetes Fighter
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\nAloe vera also appears to possess anti-diabetic activity, helping to lower blood sugar and triglyceride levels, which are often high in diabetic patients. Researchers at the Mahidol Medical University, Bangkok, gave subjects one tablespoon of aloe vera juice, twice daily.5 After only two weeks, blood sugar levels had normalized and triglyceride levels were reduced.
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\nThe researchers conducted a follow-up trial with aloe to determine the effect of treatment in patients unresponsive to glibenclamide, an anti-diabetic medication.6 The levels of fasting blood glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides remained stagnant when subjects solely used glibenclamide. Those who had used aloe juice saw a 48 percent decrease in blood sugar levels and a 52 percent decrease in triglycerides.
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\nAnimal studies provide further supporting evidence for aloe�s anti-diabetic properties. A 2005 study from the University of Zimbabwe induced diabetes in rats and then administered aloe powder.7 Results showed aloe had significant activity on glucose levels. A similar study from the University of Madras, India, examined the ef fect of aloe vera gel on membrane-bound phosphates and lysosomal hydrolases in the liver and kidney of diabetic rats.8 After 21 days, aloe had significantly restored the alterations in enzyme activity to near normalcy. Researchers confirmed aloe possesses a significant beneficial effect on membrane-bound phosphatases and lysosomal hydrolases.
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\nYet another study showed aloe can have a long-term blood glucose level control effect.9 Researchers at the Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Japan, studied type 2 diabetic mice that were being treated with aloe vera gel. There were significant decreases of 15 to 18 percent in the hemoglobin A1c levels, and severely diabetic mice treated with phytosterols derived from aloe vera gel did not suffer weight reduction due to glucose loss in urine.
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\nCombatting Cancer
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\nPerhaps one of the most active areas of scientific investigation is aloe�s effect on cancer. According to Gillian McKeith, Ph.D., author of Living Food for Health: �The efficacy of aloe�s potent immunostimulant glucomannan has been approved for veterinary use in injectible form for fibrosarcomas and feline leukemia.�
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\nIn one study, 44 cats, all diagnosed with feline leukemia, were injected with 2 mg of glucomannan weekly for six weeks, and reexamined six weeks after termination of the treatment.10 Three-quarters (77 percent) of the cats were alive at the end of the 12 week study, which McKeith called significant, as 70 percent of cats will die within eight weeks of diagnosis. The glucomannan from aloe was credited with significant anti-viral, immunostimulant, and bone marrow-stimulating properties by the researchers.
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\nAnother study examined the effects of aloe vera leaf pulp on certain tumors.11 Mice with implanted Ehrlich ascites tumors were injected with 55 mg of aloe extract twice a week for 21 days. Tumor size, thymus and spleen weights were measured, as well as leucocyte count, TNF-alpha and sialic acid as tumor markers. Researchers found the best inhibitory effect on tumor growth was obtained with the extract given prophylactically before tumor implantation, although aloe extract also regressed tumor sizes when given simultaneously with, or therapeutically after, tumor implantation. It was concluded aloe has tumor preventive properties due to its immunomodulatory activity. They added aloe could be proposed as a prophylactic for cancer prevention.
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\nThe same researchers did another study several months later, using the main lectin present in aloe, Aloctin I, on Ehrlich ascites tumors in mice.12 The lectin administered before tumor implantation regressed tumor size, but was less potent than the leaf pulp used in the previous study.
\nStudies have also examined human cancers. Researchers at the San Gerardo Hospital, Italy, treated 50 patients suffering from lung cancer, GI tract tumors, breast cancer or brain glibolastoma.13 Aloe was given in conjunction with pineal indole melatonin (MLT). Results showed the percent of one year survival was significantly higher in patients treated with MLT plus aloe.
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\nAccording to the researchers, the data suggests natural cancer therapy with MLT and aloe may produce some therapeutic benefits, in terms of stabilization of disease and survival, in patients with advanced solid tumors, for whom no other standard effective therapy is available. Another study looked at the effect of aloe on the growth of human cervical cancer cells.14 The cells were treated with various concentrations of aloe and cell growth was measured. Aloe inhibited the growth of the cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner.\r\n \r\n | \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n __________________ \r\n You\'re officially invited to visit my natural health blog: www.healthyfellow.com\r\n \r\n <!-' + '- controls -' + '->\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n  \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n <!-' + '- / controls -' + '->\r\n | \r\n
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but might be ok for aloe as there are some at my house, planted by the previous owner and I have not killed them yet 
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