Aloe vera should be investigated as a treatment for diabetes, new study reveals

RESEARCHERS believe aloe vera should be investigated as an antidiabetic compound after studies revealed it had positive effects in people with diabetes.

On the basis that fewer than half of patients with type 2 diabetes have their disease well controlled, scientists believe there is demand for a new, affordable, effective medications, not limited by unfavourable side effects. 

A pooled analysis of nine studies examined the effect of oral aloe vera in people with diabetes and pre-diabetes and the results suggest the medicinal plant could be a treatment option. 

Diabetes is a lifelong condition where blood sugar is too high and, if not treated, can result in damage to organs if not treated. 

There are 382 million people worldwide living with diabetes, and the vast majority of cases are people with type 2 diabetes. 

Research was carried out at the David Grant USAF Medical Centre at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California, and the findings were published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 

The researchers' analysis shows people with diabetes whose fasting blood glucose is above 200 mg/dl may benefit the most from treatment with oral aloe vera. 

Aloe vera is a popular remedy used by the Chinese, Egyptians, Greeks, Indians, Japanese and Mexicans for thousands of years. 

More recently its been used as a skin application to treat seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis vulgarise and genital herpes, and orally as a laxative. 

While studies of oral aloe vera as a remedy for a range of chronic diseases such as asthma, glaucoma, high blood pressure and inflammatory bowel disease, its effect on lowering blood glucose has been mounting, which is why researchers decided to analyse it. 

For their analysis, the team at the David Grant USAF Medical Centre, the team looked for studies of the effect of oral aloe vera on fasting blood glucose, haemoglobin A1c, oral glucose tolerance test, and a number of other measures in pre-diabetic and diabetic populations. 

They found only nine studies had appropriate data for meta-analyses and covered fasten blood glucose and hemoglobin only. 

Of these, all nine measured fasting blood glucose (total of 283 participants), and five measured haemoglobin A1c (89 participants). 

Fasting blood glucose measures the blood glucose level during a period when the patient has not had anything to eat or drink, except water for at least eight hours. A level in the range of 100-125mg/dl is defined as pre-diabetic and 126mg/dl or higher as diabetic. 

Haemoglobin is a measure of average blood glucose over the past two to three months. A level greater than or equal to 6.5 per cent is considered diabetic. 

The meta-analysis showed aloe vera decreased fasting blood glucose by 46.6mg/dl and haemoglobin A1c by 1.05 in the populations studied. 

The researchers did point to several limitations of the data and findings such as inconsistencies across studies in the formulation of aloe vera used, making it difficult to determine which products would be effective. 

Further clinical studies will have to be carried out to further explore these findings. 

This comes after a man's "diet ovehaul" cured his diabetes.