The genus Aloe has been placed in a family called Liliaceae. Aloe vera L. is a tropical or subtropical plant. The gel has been used for years in treatment of burns, wounds, skin irritation, fungual infection and eczema. The use and demand of Aloe vera gel has expanded as a result of several stabilization prosses.The leaves of A.vera L. are collected from field of medicinal plants research of National Botanical Garden of Iran (NBGI). The fresh mucilaginous gel contained in the parenchymatous tissue in the center of the leaves, separated from them. The process including the steps of admixing with a heated, A. vera L. gel in the rang of 30°C to 70°C, then added the antioxident effective to prevent oxidation of said gel, adjustment of the gel to a pH in range of from 3 to 3.5, and cooling the gel, in rang of 15 to 20 minets. In 1935 (Tyler), the juce was recommended in treating third-degree X-ray burns.

To investigate cytogenetics of Aloe litoralis and Aloe vera, samples were taken during flowering stage from several local populations of the species in the southern parts of IRAN, such as Bushehr and Hormozgan provinces. The samples were fixed at the sites and studied at the Forests and Rangelands Research Institute. Chromosome behaviors in miosis cell division were studied in the populations and a number of parameters such as number and type of formed chiasmas were recorded. One hundred cells per population were studied for the purposes. Despite the big size of the chromosomes of the species, the most portion of the observed chiasmas were one chiasma per pairs of homologes. Two chiasmas per homologes were in the next level. Four chiasma were hardly observed, but a population of A.litoralis showed a high level of the phenomenon, so that on the whole, the population presented the higher number of chiasma. Since chiasma formation and miotic behaviors is believed to be genetically controled, these can be due to genomic diffrentiation between the populations in the locations. One or two lag chromosomes were observed in several populations. Late separation of the chromosomes at anaphase II was also observed for all of the populations. Presence of these phenomena at different stages of the mitotic cell division may imply an active trend of evolution in the studied populations.

Aim and Background: Aloe vera belongs to the family Liliaaceae. It is a perennial or seldom annual plant of 70 to 90 cm high. This plant is popular in Southern Africa, Madagascar and Arab regions. The local species usually grow in the southern parts of IRAN, such as Bushehr, Hormozgan and Balochestan provinces. Some of the ornamental species are widely used in Europe and America in decorated leaf gardens, parks and houses. The gel in the leaves of the medicinal properties of the plant is used in preparing medicines. Despite the wide usage, comprehensive study has to be done on this plant in Iran.Materials and methods: In this research 10 populations of Aloe vera belonging to Aloe genus were collected from different locations of Iran and studied using root apex meristem. Also, the number and dimensions of chromosomes in the mitosis division were measured, and determined karyotypic formula for any population.Results: The number of genome was 7 and kind of chromosome was metacentric and sub-telocentric. The most and lowest mean of chromosome length belongs to Aloe littoralis population (12.72 micron) and Aloe vera (10.42 micron) population, respectively. The populations were compared using Stebbins method based on karyotype. Aloe vera populations lied in 1A class and other populations in 2A class. The karyotypic formula of Aloe vera and Aloe littoralis was determined as 6Sm+8st and 4Sm+10St, respectively.Conclusion: Cytological samples showed minor differences in this sample compared to other samples.

Endemic of dry and warm climate, True Aloe with the scientific name Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. is an invaluable medicinal plant. It is cultivated in Iran in two southern provinces of Hormozgan and Boushehr and also grown in greenhouse in some other regions. Many derivatives of Aloe plant are in use in food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Despite the fact that Aloe is endemic of Southern Iran, several kinds of finished products such as soft drinks and cosmetics are being imported to the country now. Since Aloe can be cost effectively cultivated in poor soil and water resource conditions of the southern provinces of Iran, expansion of its cultivation and processing facilities can be a remarkable step for both job creation and efficient exploitation of the poor farmlands in this part of the country.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Aloe vera is a medicinal plant that has diverse biological properties such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Atherosclerosis is one of the main causes of death in the world where in the new studies have been introduced as an inflammatory disease Hence the use of lipid-lowering drugs and inflammation may be useful in preventing or controlling it. This study evaluated the anti-atherosclerotic effects of Aloe vera in hypercholesterolemic rabbits.METHODS: This experimental study was performed on 32 New Zealand male rabbits weighing 1800-2000 gr. Animal model of atherosclerosis was developed in 32 male rabbits using high-cholesterol diet (cholesterol 1%). Rabbits in four experimental groups (n=8) were treated for 30 days: normal diet group, high-cholesterol diet group, high-cholesterol diet group with Aloe vera gel (3.2%v/v per day in their drinking water), and Aloe vera with the normal diet group. At the beginning and end of study rabbits blood was used for total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, HDL, FBS measuring by enzymatic methods and CRP. The presence of fatty streaks in arteries of animals with histopathological methods was investigated and compared.FINDINGS: High cholesterol diet group was significantly increased total cholesterol and CRP (p<0.05) Results indicated that the use of Aloe vera in the third group with high-cholesterol diet significantly decreased total cholesterol (576.88±292.52 vs.1059±79.11) and CRP in this group than high-cholesterol group (p<0.05). Other lipoproteins after studying in groups 2 and 3 compared with normal diet and Aloe vera alone had a significant increase (p<0.05), but they have not significant difference with each other. The use of Aloe vera along with high cholesterol diet significantly reduced the formation of fatty streaks in the high-cholesterol group (p<0.05).CONCLUSION: The results show that the consumption of Aloe vera by knowing the impact of cholesterol and inflammation as major risk factors for atherosclerosis can be beneficial effects in controlling this disease prevention.

Due to the special medicinal benefits of the juice and mucilage of Aloe (Aloe vera L.), which are obtained from the leaves, today, these are widely used in pharmaceutical industries and cosmetics. Generally, Aloe can be propagatesd vegetatively but its propagation rate is too low.  Therefore, a research was conducted to increase the rate of vegetative propagation and to obtain the best method of callus induction through in vitro culture of segmented leaves in tissue culture laboratory of Ramin Agricultural University of Ahwaz in 2004. The research was arranged in a completely randomized design. After surface sterilization, the leaf explants. were cultured aseptically in MS medium containing 3% sucrose and 0.8% agar supplemented with different concentrations and combinations of BAP, kinetin and 2,4-D, NAA and IBA for callus induction and shoot regeneration. The rate of callus induction and shoot regeneration were recorded after 4-5 and 12 weeks, respectively. Rooting media were MS medium containing 3% sucrose and 0.8% agar supplemented with different concentrations of NAA or IBA or without plant growth regulators. Root number, root length and root thickness and branching were compared between different rooting media after 6 weeks. Results showed that the basal portions of young leaves were suitable for callus induction. In this research the incidence of callus was better in darkness than in light. Actually, the rate of callus induction was very low in light. The combination of 2, 4-D and kinetin was the best for callus induction. Shoot regeneration was observed in MS medium containing BAP and combination of BAP and NAA or IBA. The best rooting medium was MS supplemented with 0.5 mg l-1 IBA.

Background: Interests in natural products are being subjected to scientific method of testing. The use of Aloe vera cuts across barriers of time and culture in the treatment of a broad range of illnesses. The basis of its reputation resides mainly with steadfast belief in claims of its curative properties, but without hard scientific evidence.Materials and Methods: Thirty three adult male rats were divided into three groups. Experimental groups received Aloe vera aqueous leaf extract orally for 60 days in two different sublethal doses; of 60 mg/kg, and 120 mg/kg body weight of aqueous extract of Aloe vera respectively; while, the control received equal volume of distilled water for the duration of a complete spermatogenic cycle.Results: The administration of the aqueous extract of of Aloe vera aqueous leaf extract resulted in a significant decrease in testis weight in the two experimental groups in comparison to the control group but had no effect on body or organ weight. The extract of this plant caused a decrease of the following in the two experimental groups, compared to the control group: sperm count, motility and normal morphology, pregnancy rate and diameter and wall thickness of seminiferous tubules. Also, distortion of morphology of the seminiferous tubules and arrest in spermatogenesis was observed in the experimental groups. In addition, the percentage of sperm with damaged chromatin integrity was significantly higher in the two experimental groups.Conclusion: From the present study, we can conclude that Aloe vera aqueous leaf extract acts as an anti-fertility agent rather than other herbalists.