Aloe vera improves wound healing and inhibits inflammation. Since mannose-6-phosphate is the major sugar in the Aloe gel, the authors examined the possibility of its being an active growth substance. Mice receiving 300 mg/kg of mannose-6-phosphate had improved wound healing over saline controls. This dose also had anti-inflammatory activity. The function of mannose-6-phosphate in A. vera is discussed.

Rodent pinworm infestations are common in modern animal facilities, and treatments to eradicate these nematodes are often costly and labor-intensive. The authors describe a method they developed to treat rodents with ivermectin using the automatic watering system available at their facility. This delivery method proved an efficacious and cost-effective means of eradicating Aspiculuris tetraptera from a large colony of mice. The system might also be used to provide other orally administered agents to mice and other species.