Introduction: The medicinal plant Aloe vera has been used for treatment of several diseases including diabetes in traditional system of medicine. But yet, no controlled human study has determined its efficacy in treatment of hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetic patients.
Objective: The present study was undertaken to explore the possible anti-hyperglycemic effects of the Aloe vera dry gel on type 2 diabetic patients.
Methods: A total 108 type 2 diabetic patients (aged 40 to 65 years) registered at the Diabetic Clinic registry of Shariati Hospital Tehran Iran, were randomly selected and enrolled in three groups. Two groups 36 patients received 150 and 300 mg Aloe vera two times a day respectively. One group 36 patients received placebo capsule similarly.
The standard anti-diabetic therapy was continued in all three groups. The patients fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, lipid profile, SGOT ALK, SGPT, BUN, cratinine were determined at the beginning and after two months during the study.
Results: Results showed that in 300 and 600 mg/day Aloe vera treated groups the average fasting blood glucose after two months were 165.30±34.8 and 169.19±35.3 as compared to placebo group 191.63±49.4 were decreased significantly (p=0.030 and p=0.024). Further in 300 and 600 mg/day the average HbA1c after two months were 6.89±1.08 and 6.67±1.09 as compared to placebo group 7.63±1.84 were decreased significantly (p=0.042 and p=0.037). There were no significant difference in lipid profile, SGOT ALK, SGPT, BUN, cratinine level after two months of the study in Aloe vera treated groups as compared to placebo group.
Conclusion: The present study indicated that the Aloe vera treatment in the dose of 300 and 600 mg/day has same beneficial effect on reducing glycemic state in type 2 diabetic patients with no adverse gastrointestinal symptoms as well as liver and kidney abnormalities during two months of therapy. As therapeutic effect of both dosages in present study were same, it is necessary to investigate the therapeutic effect of 300 mg/day in longer term study with larger number of patients.