Assessment of Aloe vera (L.) genotoxic potential on Escherichia coli and plasmid DNA

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology Vol. 102; no. 2; pp. 197 - 201
• Main Authors: Paes-Leme, Alessandra A., Motta, Ellen S., De Mattos, Jose C.P., Dantas, Flavio J.S., Bezerra, Roberto J.A.C., Caldeira-de-Araujo, Adriano
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 14-11-2005; Elsevier
• Subjects: Aloe - toxicity; Aloe vera; Babosa; Biological and medical sciences; DNA Damage; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli - drug effects; Escherichia coli - genetics; General pharmacology; Genotoxic potential; Medical sciences; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Plasmids - drug effects; Transformation, Bacterial - drug effects; Ultraviolet Rays; UVA light; Aloe vera; Genotoxic potential; Escherichia coli; Babosa; UVA light; Evaluation; Monocotyledones; UVA radiation; Pharmacognosy; Toxicity; Genotoxicity; Aloe vera; Babosa; UVA light; Escherichia coli; Medicinal plant; Liliaceae; DNA; Light; Angiospermae; Plant origin; Bacteria; Spermatophyta; Enterobacteriaceae
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2005.06.013

Aloe vera is a tropical plant, known in Brazil as babosa and several reputable suppliers produce a stabilized aloe gel for topic use. Since people use
Aloe vera topically, they could be exposed to solar ultraviolet light in addition and it might cause a cross damage effect between these agents. The aim of this work was to investigate the biological effects of
Aloe vera pulp extract, associated or not to UVA radiation, on
Escherichia coli-deficient repair mutants and plasmid DNA, in order to test its genotoxic potential. Data obtained from analysis of survival fractions, bacterial transformation and agarose gel electrophoresis suggest that
Aloe vera has genotoxic properties, but it seems not to be able to damage the cell membrane.