Anticancer Potential of Aloes: Antioxidant, Antiproliferative, and Immunostimulatory Attributes

Abstract

Aloe is a genus of medicinal plants with a notable history of medical use. Basic research over the past couple of decades has begun to reveal the extent of Aloe?s pharmaceutical potential, particularly against neoplastic disease. This review looks at Aloe, both the genus and the folk medicine, often being called informally ?aloes?, and delineates their chemistry and anticancer pharmacognosy. Structures of key compounds are provided, and their pharmacological activities reviewed. Particular attention is given to their free radical scavenging, antiproliferative, and immunostimulatory properties. This review highlights major research directions on aloes, reflecting the enormous potential of natural sources, and of the genus Aloe in particular, in preventing and treating cancer.

Estonian folk traditional experiences on natural anticancer remedies: From past to the future

“…Among them, Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f. (Aloaceae) (aloe) is a genus of medicinal plants with a history of medical use for several thousand years (Boudreau et al, 2013;Harlev et al, 2012). Its antineoplastic property is due to at least three different mechanisms based on antiproliferative, immunostimulatory, and antioxidant effects, whereas the antiproliferative action is determined mainly by the anthraquinonic molecules, such as aloin and emodin (Harlev et al, 2012).…”

“…(Aloaceae) (aloe) is a genus of medicinal plants with a history of medical use for several thousand years (Boudreau et al, 2013;Harlev et al, 2012). Its antineoplastic property is due to at least three different mechanisms based on antiproliferative, immunostimulatory, and antioxidant effects, whereas the antiproliferative action is determined mainly by the anthraquinonic molecules, such as aloin and emodin (Harlev et al, 2012). Aloin, an anthraquinone glycoside derived from aloe leaves, has shown to inhibit human cervical, breast, and ovarian cancer cells as well as leukemia cells, exerting also antiangiogenic properties (Harlev et al, 2012;Niciforovic et al, 2007;Pan et al, 2013).…”

“…Aloin, an anthraquinone glycoside derived from aloe leaves, has shown to inhibit human cervical, breast, and ovarian cancer cells as well as leukemia cells, exerting also antiangiogenic properties (Harlev et al, 2012;Niciforovic et al, 2007;Pan et al, 2013). Aloe emodin might represent a suitable antitumor drug candidate for the treatment of various human cancers, such as colon, gastric, bladder, lung, tongue, nasopharyngeal, uterine, and liver carcinoma, neuroectodermal tumor, leukemia, Ewing's sarcoma, neuroblastoma, and glioma (Acevedo-Duncan et al, 2004;Chen et al, 2007b;Harlev et al, 2012;Ismail et al, 2013;Pecere et al, 2000). However, only limited data are available on the safety of Aloe vera supplements leaving this issue controversial and uncertain.…”

Antitumor activities of extracts from selected desert plants against HepG2 human hepatocellular carcinoma cells

“…These defense systems include phytochemicals (secondary metabolites) endowed with remarkable bioactivities (Chawla et al, 2012;Croteau et al, 2000;Harlev et al, 2012a;Wang et al, 2007). The high concentrations of defensive metabolites in desert plants are known to impart antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic, antiviral, antifungal and antimicrobial capabilities to the plant, and also block detrimental UV irradiation.…”

The effect of aloe preparation and 5-oxo-1,2,4-triazine on immunological and haematological indices of blood of turkey hens subjected to stress

“…Results obtained by numerous authors (Ognik and Sembratowicz 2007;Akhtar et al 2012;Ognik and Sembratowicz 2012a) have confirmed the beneficial effect of aloe extracts on the immune response in poultry. The immunostimulatory properties of the aloe preparation may be linked to the presence of acemannan polysaccharides in aloe (Harlev et al 2012), as well as the vitamin C included in the formulation, whose role in the immune reaction is well known. Ascorbic acid is necessary for phagocytic reactions to proceed properly, and also stimulates interferon synthesis and lymphocyte proliferation (Ortuño et al 2001).…”