Effects of Aloe vera in adults with mucocutaneous problems: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Abstract

Aims To analyse the different types of Aloe vera (AV) effects on various mucocutaneous problems among adults. Design A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Data Sources An exhaustive scanning of PubMed, Medline, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar databases was conducted from January 2000–December 2019. Review Methods Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) publishing reports on the effects of AV in various mucocutaneous problems, psoriasis, burn, wound‐healing were included. The standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence Intervals (CIs) were determined for the main outcomes, heterogeneity was analysed using the I2 test and the risk of bias in the studies was reviewed by the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool. Results The study included 23 trials with a total of 4,023 participants. Six trials were included in the meta‐analysis. The results indicated no significant differences in pain scores as assessed by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) (SMD = 0.11, 95% CI: −0.37 to 0.59). The Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) scores were significantly lower following AV gel application in two of the studies (SMD = −1.32 95% CI: −1.86 to −0.78). Considering results in a systematic manner, AV accelerated tissue epithelialization and wound‐healing process (N = 3), reduced oral mucositis (N = 3), and improved quality of life (N = 1). Conclusion AV might have beneficial effects in reducing pain scores and the severity of mucocutaneous problems compared with placebo, especially with limited mild to moderate adverse effects. Impact AV may be used as an alternative and integrative approach to reducing symptom severity in mucocutaneous problems and the wound‐healing process. High quality and well‐designed RCTs are still needed to elucidate the effects of AV in a variety of dosages and forms among adults with mucocutaneous problems.

Stem cell transplantation patients receiving a novel oral care protocol for oral mucositis prevention and treatment: patient-reported outcomes and quality of life

“…Recent evidence is available regarding the topical application of natural products, including honey, aloe vera (AV), bovine colostrum (BC) and others [14,15]. These composite agents contain a wide variety of biologically active substances such as lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase, growth factors, immunoglobulins, cytokines, iron, folic acid, electrolytes and vitamins, which may interfere with the pathobiological pathway underlying OM [16][17][18]. The beneficial effects of these agents on mucosal healing have already been described as mainly attributable to their immune-modulatory, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activity [14,15,19].…”

Mouthwashes with Plain Water Prevent Oral Mucositis Secondary to Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Hematological Cancer Patients: A Retrospective Study

“…Literature search returned controversial ndings of aloe vera in OM prevention. A previous study showed that aloe vera had healing activity to different mucocutaneous problems [21]. While a meta-analysis found aloe vera mouthwash showed no superior effect on OM prevention, compared with other natural products, such as honey, chlorhexidine and curcumin.…”

Efficacy and safety of a colostrum- and Aloe vera-based oral care protocol to prevent and treat severe oral mucositis in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a single-arm phase II study

“…The beneficial effects of AV and of BC on wound care have been suggested by some preclinical studies [ 41 , 67 , 68 ]. Their effects on mucocutaneous issues such as pain reduction, wound healing acceleration, stomatitis healing, and QoL improvement are well known [ 42 , 43 , 51 , 52 ]. It has been suggested that some components of BC, such as nucleotides, epidermal growth factor (EGF), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), promote mucocutaneous cellular growth and also help repair gene impairment [ 32 ].…”

“…Aloe vera (AV)-based preparations contain various active compounds, including iron, folic acid, electrolytes, and vitamins, that have positive effects on general health [45][46][47][48]. Its formula shows emollient, moisturizing, antiinflammatory, and immune-modulatory properties [49,50], and has been studied for the prevention and treatment of several mucocutaneous conditions, without any adverse effects [51,52].…”