Effectiveness of the Aloe Vera extract in the treatment of fistula-in-ano

Abstract

Rationale Considering that anal fistulae are still challenging regarding their treatment due to the risk of fecal incontinence in the most complex cases and the increasing use of phytotherapeutic drugs such as Aloe Vera in medicine, even with proven healing effectiveness, there is interest in researching this drug in the treatment of anal fistulae. Objective To evaluate the efficacy of Aloe Vera extract in the treatment of anal fistulae in rats. Method Thirty male Wistar rats weighing 250–300 g were submitted to anal fistula and after 30 days were divided into three groups: Control Group (GCo) (n = 5), Carbopol Group (GCa) (n = 5), and Aloe Vera Group (GAV) (n = 10). In the GCo no treatment was performed, while in the others a daily infusion of 0.3 mL of solution (Carbopol only in GCa and Carbopol plus Aloe Vera extract in the GAV) was performed through the external orifice of the fistula for 30 days. Afterwards, euthanasia was performed and specimens were removed for histological study. It was evaluated the closure of the fistulous tract, the area of the remaining tract, the inflammatory infiltrate and the degree of vascular congestion. The results were submitted to statistical treatment by Kruskall–Wallis test, considering p < 0.05. Results There was no complete closure of the fistulous tract in any of the animals. The mean area of the remaining tract was 847.2 μm in the GCo, 565.6 μm in the GCa and 377.8 μm in the GAV (p < 0.05). The mean of the inflammatory infiltrate score was 2.4 in the GCo, 2.4 in the GCa and 2.3 in the GAV (p > 0.05), while in the evaluation of vascular congestion, we observed a mean of 1.6 in the GCo, 1.4 in GCa and 1.1 in GAV (p < 0.05). Conclusion The extract of Aloe vera was able to reduce the lumen of the fistulous tract and reduce the degree of vascular congestion; however, it did not allow the complete closure of the fistulous tract nor diminished the inflammatory process.

Aloe vera: From ancient knowledge to the patent and innovation landscape – A review

“…In the medical field, its pharmacological effects on the different components of metabolic syndrome have been demonstrated, including the effects against hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, hypertension, obesity (Pothuraju et al, 2015, 2016aShakib et al, 2019 anti-inflammatory activity, immunomodulatory activity, antidiabetic, and Gel (Fresh) (Simal et al, 1999Scala et al, 2013Dammak et al, 2018) Gel (Lyophilized) (Simal et al, 1999Bozzi et al, 2007 Water anticancer agents (neoplastic disease) (Cavasana et al, 2020Majumder et al, 2019). In addition, it has been studied for hepato-protective, antiulcer, antiarthritic, and antirheumatic activities (Hamman, 2008IARC, 2016Majumder et al, 2019;Mukherjee et al, 2014;Radha and Laxmipriya, 2015;) .…”

Characterization and Topical Study of Aloe Vera Hydrogel on Wound-Healing Process

“…Some clinical and experimental evidence suggested the usefulness of Aloe vera in wound care and wound healing for skin moisturization, promoting wound healing, thermal skin injury, and inflammatory skin pathologies [17,[23][24][25][26][27][28]. Therefore, in vitro/in vivo trials using Aloe vera gel, as a scaffold or support matrix for tissue engineering, have received considerable attention either alone or in combination with conventional drugs or natural extracts [5,11,[29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45]. For instance, the use of fresh Aloe vera gel for 10 days to treat breast soreness and irritation in lactating women produced significant wound healing [43].…”