Clinical studies have suggested that A. vera gel may act as a safe
antihyperglycemic and antihypercholesterolemic agent for type 2
diabetic patients without any significant effects on other normal
blood lipid levels or liver/kidney function.42 In vivo and in vitro
studies strongly demonstrate that the water soluble fraction of Aloe
spp. possesses glucose-lowering activities and some of its components
modulate glucose transporter-4 mRNA expression.43 In a
randomized controlled trial, A. vera gel complex reduced body
weight, body fat mass, and insulin resistance in obese prediabetes
and early nontreated diabetic patients.45 Further, in a pilot study,
two Aloe products in patients with prediabetes over an 8-week
period, tended to revert the impaired fasting glucose and
impaired glucose tolerance observed in conditions of prediabetes/
metabolic syndrome.45 One study discussed the efficacy of aloeemodin-8-O-glycoside
isolated from A. vera gel in enhancing
glucose transport by modulating the proximal and distal markers
involved in glucose uptake and its transformation into glycogen.46
Tanaka et al reported reductions in both fasting and random blood
glucose levels of db/db diabetic mice chronically treated with the
same phytosterols from A. vera gel.47 Jain et al found that A. vera gel
has significant antidiabetic and cardioprotective activity as it
significantly reduced oxidative stress in streptozocin induced diabetic
rats and improved antioxidant status.48 A. vera gel also helps
to improve the carbohydrate metabolism, with a recent report
suggesting that it helps to improve metabolic condition in obese
prediabetes and early nontreated diabetic patients by reducing
body weight, body fat mass, fasting blood glucose, and fasting
serum insulin in obese individuals.44 Shin et al shown that dietary
Aloe formula also reduces obesity-induced glucose tolerance not
only by suppressing inflammatory responses but also by inducing
anti-inflammatory cytokines in the white adipose tissue and liver,
both of which are important peripheral tissues affected by insulin
resistance.49 A. vera also has shown improvement in the function of
isolated rat pancreatic islets wherein it increased survival of the
islet cells, their mitochondrial activity, and insulin levels at the
same time as reducing production of reactive oxygen species.