The body’s initial immune response to an insult is to release a cascade of pro-inflammatory cytokines.  Cytokines such as interferon, interleukin, and certain growth factors are secreted by immune system cells and affect the body systemically. Although these cytokines can be beneficial, quite often they persist to the detriment of our bodies. The body’s challenge is to balance the immune response to limit prolonged cytokine secretion while battling the insult. Prolonged secretion of these cytokines can result in prolonged inflammation, impairment to healing and a propensity toward additional insults. Immunomodulation is the adjustment of the immune response to achieve a desired level of balance. Aloe vera has been shown to be a potent modulator to the immune response function.

References Links:

An inflammatory response is essential for the development of adaptive immunity-immunogenicity and immunotoxicity.  

Affiliations: Kitasato Institute for Life Sciences, Laboratory of Viral Infection I, Minato-ku Shirokane 5-9-1, Tokyo 108-8641, Japan

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0264410X16307381?via%3Dihub

Role of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines during inflammation: experimental and clinical findings. 

CA Dinarello.  Affiliations: Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, USA.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9498158/

Cytokine networks in neuroinflammation. 

Burkhard Becher, Sabine Spath, Joan Goverman.  Affiliations: Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland.

Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98109-8059, USA.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27916979/

Inflammatory Cytokines and Alzheimer's Disease: A Review from the Perspective of Genetic Polymorphisms

Fan Su, Feng Bai, Zhijun Zhang.  Affiliations: Department of Neurology, Affiliated ZhongDa Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27568024/

Pathogenic human coronavirus infections: causes and consequences of cytokine storm and immunopathology. 

Rudragouda Channappanavar, Stanley Perlman.  Affiliations: Department of Microbiology, University of Iowa, BSB 3-712, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28466096/ 

Age and Age-Related Diseases: Role of Inflammation Triggers and Cytokines

Irene Maeve Rea, David S Gibson, Victoria McGilligan, Susan E McNerlan, H Denis Alexander, Owen A Ross

1 School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom

2 Northern Ireland Centre for Stratified Medicine, Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, University of Ulster, C-TRIC Building, Altnagelvin Area Hospital, Londonderry, United Kingdom

3 Care of Elderly Medicine, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, United Kingdom

4 Regional Genetics Service, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, United Kingdom

5 Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States

6 Department of Clinical Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States

7 School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5900450/

Efficacy and safety of immunological adjuvants. Where is the cut-off?

Alexander Batista-Duharte, Damiana Téllez Martínez, Iracilda Zeppone Carlos

São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Clinical Analysis, Rod. Araraquara-Jaú-Km 1, CEP: 14801-902, Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29894962/

β-Defensins: Work in Progress

Giovanna Donnarumma, Iole Paoletti, Alessandra Fusco, Brunella Perfetto, Elisabetta Buommino, Vincenza de Gregorio, Adone Baroni.  Affiliations:  Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology, Second University of Naples, via De Crecchio n°7, 80138, Naples, Italy.

Center for Advanced Biomaterial for Health Care Technology, Italian Institute of Technology, Largo Barsanti E Matteucci 53, 80125, Naples, Italy.

Multidisciplinary Department of Medical-Surgical and Dental Speciality-Dermatology, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26864271/

Extraction, Purification, Structural Characteristics, Biological Activities and Pharmacological Applications of Acemannan, a Polysaccharide from Aloe vera: A Review

Chang Liu, Yan Cui, Fuwei Pi, Yuliang Cheng, Yahui Guo, He Qian

State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China

Synergetic Innovation Center for Food Safety and Nutrition, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China.
Institute of Agricultural Products Processing, Key Laboratory of Preservation Engineering of Agricultural Products, Ningbo Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ningbo 315040, China.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31010204/

The host immune response in respiratory virus infection: balancing virus clearance and immunopathology.  Amy H Newton, Amber Cardani, Thomas J Braciale.  Affiliations:

Beirne B. Carter Center for Immunology Research, University of Virginia, P.O. Box 801386, Charlottesville, VA 22908 USA 

Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA USA 

Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA USA

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4896975/

Compositional and Structural Features of the Main Bioactive Polysaccharides Present in the Aloe vera Plant

Rafael Minjares-Fuentes, Antoni Femenia, Francesca Comas-Serra, Victor Manuel Rodríguez-González

University of the Balearic Islands, Department of Chemistry, Ctra Valldemossa Km 7.5, 07122, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Av. Artículo 123 s/n, Fracc. Filadelfia, 35010, Gómez Palacio, Durango, México.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29895349/

Identification of optimal molecular size of modified Aloe polysaccharides with maximum immunomodulatory activity

Sun-A Im, Sun-Tack Oh, Sukgil Song, Mi-Ran Kim, Dong-Seon Kim, Sung-Sick Woo, Tae Hyung Jo, Young In Park, Chong-Kil Lee

College of Pharmacy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, South Korea.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15652758/

Evaluation and comparison of commercially available Aloe vera L. products using size exclusion chromatography with refractive index and multi-angle laser light scattering detection

Carlton E Turner, David A Williamson, Paul A Stroud, Doug J Talley
Carrington Laboratories, Inc., 2001 Walnut Hill Lane., Irving, TX 75038, USA.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15531289/

The effect of an aloe polymannose multinutrient complex on cognitive and immune functioning in Alzheimer's disease

John E Lewis, H Reginald McDaniel, Marc E Agronin, David A Loewenstein, Jorge Riveros, Rafael Mestre, Mairelys Martinez, Niurka Colina, Dahlia Abreu, Janet Konefal, Judi M Woolger, Karies H Ali

Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22976077/

Baker, O.T., The Amazing Ancient to Modern Useful Plant Aloe Vera: Amazing Plant of the Magic Valley,

(Lemon Grove, CA: R .Prevost, 1975), p.13-16.

Reynolds T, Dweck AC. Aloe vera leaf gel: a review update. J Ethnopharmacol 68:3-37, 1999.

Eberendu AR, Luta G, Edwards JA, McAnalley BH, Davis B, Rodriguez S, Henry CR. Quantitative

colorimetric analysis of aloe polysaccharides as a measure of Aloe vera quality in commercial products. J

AOAC Int 88:684-91, 1995.

Leung, MYK, Liu, C, Zhu, LF, Hui, B, Fung, KP. Chemical and biological characterization of a

polysaccharide biological response modifier from Aloe vera L. var chinensis (Haw.) Berg. Glycobiology,

14: 501-510, 2004.

Im, SA, Oh, ST, Song, S, Identification of optimal molecular size of modified Aloe polysaccharides, MR,

Kim, DS, Woo, SS, Jo, YI, Lee, CK. Identification of optimal molecular size of modified Aloe

polysaccharides with maximum immunomodulatory activity. Int Immunopharmacol 5: 271-279, 2005.

Altug, N, Yuksek, N, Agaoglu, ZT. Immunostimulating effects of Aloe vera and β-glucan on cellular and

humoral immune responses following vaccination with polyvalent vaccines in dogs. Kafkas Univ Vet Fak

Derg 16: 405-412, 2010.

Rajasekaran, S, Sivagnanam, K., Subramanian, S. Antioxidant effects of Aloe vera gel extract in

streptozocin-induced diabetes in rats. Pharm Rep 57: 90-96, 2005.

Pugh, N, Ross, SA, ElSohly, MA, Pasco, DS. Characterization of aloeride, a new high-molecular-weight

polysaccharide from Aloe vera with potent Immunostimulating activity. J Agric Food Chem 49: 1030-

1034, 2001.

MacKay, D, Miller, AL. Nutritional support for wound healing. Alternative Med Rev 8: 359-377, 2003.

Fogleman, RW, Chapdelaine, JM, Carpenter, RH, McAnalley, BH. Toxicologic evaluation of injectable

Acemannan in the mouse, rat and dog. Vet Hum Toxicol 34: 201-205, 1992.

 Vetvicka, V, Vetvickova, J. β1,3-Glucan: silver bullet or hot air? Open Glycosciences 3: 1-6, 2010.

Molday RS, Yen SPS, Rembaum A. Application of magnetic microspheres in labeling and separation of

cells Nature 268:437-438, 1977.

Vetvicka V, Fornusek L, Kopecek J, Kaminkova J, Kasparek L, Vranova M. Phagocytosis of human blood

leukocytes: A simple micromethod. Immunol Lett 5: 97-100, 1982.

Fernandez-Botran, R, Vetvicka, V. Advanced Methods in Cellular Immunology, CRC Press, Boca Raton,

2000.

Green, SJ, Nacy, CA. Antimicrobial and immunopathological effects of cytokine-induced nitric oxide

synthesis. Curr Opin Infect Dis 6: 284-396, 1993.

Nerren, JR, Kogut, MH. The selective Dectin-1 agonist, curdlan, induces an oxidative burst response in

chicken heterophils and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 127: 162-166,

2009.

Talmadge J, Chavez J, Jacobs L, Munger C, Chinnah T, Chow JT, Williamson D, Yates K, Int

Immunopharmacol. 2004 Dec 20;4(14):1757‐73

Davis RH, Parker WL, Samson RT, Murdoch DP. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc. 1991 Sep;81(9):473‐8.

Vaclav Vetvicka. Evaluation of immunological activities of an organic freeze dried inner leaf

Aloe vera L. powder. University of Louisville, Department of Pathology, Louisville, KY, USA. April 2012

Mendonça FA, Passarini Junior JR, Esquisatto MA, Mendonça JS, Franchini CC, Santos GM

Acta Cir Bras. 2009 Mar‐Apr;24(2):150‐5.

Davis RH, Leitner MG, Russo JM, Byrne ME. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc. 1989 Nov;79(11):559‐62.

Fogleman RW, Shellenberger TE, Balmer MF, Carpenter RH, McAnalley BH. Vet Hum

Toxicol. 1992 Apr;34(2):144‐7.

Laura Noddin, MD; Michael Callahan, PhD; Brian E. Lacy, MD, PhD. Irritable Bowel Syndrome and

Functional Dyspepsia: Different Diseases or a Single Disorder With Different Manifestations?

Posted: 08/29/2005; Medscape General Medicine. 2005;7(3):17 © 2005 Medscape.

Wright MJ, et.al. Proton pump-inhibiting drugs, calcium homeostasis, and bone health. Nutr Rev.

2008 Feb;66(2):103-8

Insogna KL. The effect of proton pump-inhibiting drugs on mineral metabolism. Am J

Gastroenterol. 2009 Mar;104 Suppl 2:S2-4.

Li XQ, et.al. Comparison of inhibitory effects of the proton pump-inhibiting drugs omeprazole,

esomeprazole, lansoprazole, pantoprazole, and rabeprazole on human cytochrome P450

activities. Drug Metab Dispos. 2004 Aug;32(8):821-7.

Blitz, JJ, et. al., Aloe vera gel in peptic ulcer therapy: Preliminary report. Journal of the A.O.A.,

Vol. 62, April 1963: p.731-77.

Bland, J., Effect of Orally Consumed Aloe Vera Juice on Gastrointestinal Function in Normal

Humans, Preventive Medicine, March/April 1985.

Robert A. Sinnott et.al. Utilization of Arabinogalactan, Aloe vera Gel Polysaccharides, and a

Mixed Saccharide Dietary Supplement by Human Colonic Bacteria In Vitro. INTERNATIONAL

JOURNAL OF PROBIOTICS AND PREBIOTICS, Volume 2, Number 2/3, pp. 97-104 (2007)

Hamman JH. Composition and applications of Aloe vera leaf gel. Molecules. 2008 Aug

8;13(8):1599-616.

Davis RH, Parker WL, Samson RT, Murdoch DP. The isolation of an active inhibitory system from

an extract of aloe vera. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc. 1991 May;81(5):258-61.

Davis RH, Parker WL, Samson RT, Murdoch DP. Isolation of a stimulatory system in an Aloe

extract. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc. 1991 Sep;81(9):473-8.

Davis RH, Leitner MG, Russo JM, Byrne ME. Wound healing. Oral and topical activity of Aloe

vera. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc. 1989 Nov;79(11):559-62.

Reuter J, Jocher A, Stump J, Grossjohann B, Franke G, Schempp CM. Investigation of the anti-

inflammatory potential of Aloe vera gel (97.5%) in the ultraviolet erythema test. Skin Pharmacol

Physiol. 2008;21(2):106-10.

Roberts DB, Travis EL. Acemannan-containing wound dressing gel reduces radiation-induced skin

reactions in C3H mice. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1995 Jul 15;32(4):1047-52.

Yao H, Chen Y, Li S, Huang L, Chen W, Lin X. Promotion proliferation effect of a polysaccharide

from Aloe barbadensis Miller on human fibroblasts in vitro. Int J Biol Macromol. 2009 Aug

1;45(2):152-6.

Chithra P, Sajithlal GB, Chandrakasan G. Influence of Aloe vera on collagen characteristics in

healing dermal wounds in rats. Mol Cell Biochem. 1998 Apr;181(1-2):71-6.

Fulton JE Jr. The stimulation of postdermabrasion wound healing with stabilized aloe vera gel-

polyethylene oxide dressing. J Dermatol Surg Oncol. 1990 May;16(5):460-7.

Louise Colea and Charles Heard. Skin permeation enhancement potential of Aloe Vera and a

proposed mechanism of action based upon size exclusion and pull effect. International Journal

of Pharmaceutics, Volume 333, Issues 1-2, 21 March 2007, Pages 10-16.

Eberendu AR, Luta G, Edwards JA, McAnalley BH, Davis B, Rodriguez S, Henry CR. Quantitative

colorimetric analysis of aloe polysaccharides as a measure of Aloe vera quality in commercial

products. J AOAC Int. 2005 May-Jun;88(3):684-91.

Yagi A, Hamano S, Tanaka T, Kaneo Y, Fujioka T, Mihashi K. Biodisposition of FITC-labeled

aloemannan in mice. Planta Med. 2001 Jun;67(4):297-300.