Monograph: Aloe - Topical

Date: 2018-07-31

NHPID name

Aloe vera ( Germplasm Resources Information Network Taxonomy )

Proper name(s)

Aloe Vera ( USDA 2018 )

Common name(s)

• Aloe ( Unavailable )
• Aloe vera ( Unavailable )
• Barbados aloe ( USDA 2018 , McGuffin et al. 2000 )
• Curaçao aloe ( USDA 2018 , McGuffin et al. 2000 )
• True aloe ( USDA 2018 , McGuffin et al. 2000 )
• West Indian aloe ( USDA 2018 , McGuffin et al. 2000 )

Source material

Leaf gel ( Barnes et al. 2007 , Williamson 2003 )

Route Of administration

Topical

Dosage form(s)

Those suited to the allowable route(s) of administration.

Use(s) or purpose(s)

Statement(s) to the effect of:

• Used in Herbal Medicine to help relieve minor burns including sunburn.  (Barnes et al. 2007, Williamson 2003)
• Used in Herbal Medicine to assist healing of minor wounds such as cuts and burns, and minor skin irritations.  (Barnes et al. 2007, Boon and Smith 2004, Williamson 2003, WHO 1999, Fulton 1990)

Dose(s)

Adults, adolescents and children 2 and older:

See Appendix 1 for examples of appropriate dosage preparations and frequencies of use, according to cited references. The purpose of Appendix 1 is to provide guidance to industry.

Duration of use

No statement is required

Risk information

Statement(s) to the effect of:

Caution(s) and Warning(s): Consult a health care practitioner/health care provider/health care professional/doctor/physician if symptoms persist or worsen. Contraindication(s): No statement is required Known Adverse Reaction(s): Stop use if hypersensitivity/allergy occurs.

Non-medicinal ingredients

Must be chosen from the current Natural health products ingredients database and must meet the limitations outlined in the database.

Specifications

• The finished product specifications must be established in accordance with the requirements described in the NHPD Quality of natural health products guide.
• The medicinal ingredient must comply with the requirements outlined in the Natural health products ingredient database (NHPID).
• The medicinal ingredient may comply with the specifications outlined in one of the following pharmacopoeial monographs: 'Barbados Aloes' or 'Standardised Aloes Dry Extract' monograph in British Pharmacopoeia, 'Aloes, Barbados' or 'Aloes Dry Extract, Standardised' monograph in European Pharmacopoeia, and 'Aloe' monograph in US Pharamcopoeia.

References cited

• Barnes J, Anderson LA, Philipson JD. 2007. Herbal Medicines, 3rd edition. London (GB): Pharmaceutical Press.
• Berardi RR, DeSimone EM, Newton GD, Oszko MA, Popovich NG, Rollins CJ, Shimp LA, Tietze KJ, editors. Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs: An Interactive Approach to Self-Care, 13th edition. Washington (DC): American Pharmaceutical Association; 2002.
• Blumenthal M, Busse W, Goldberg A, Gruenwald J, Hall T, Riggins C, Rister R, editors. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Austin (TX): American Botanical Council; 1998.
• Boon H, Smith MJ. 2004. The Complete Natural Medicine Guide to the 50 Most Common Medicinal Herbs, 2nd edition. Toronto (ON): Robert Rose Inc.
• Bove M. 2001. An Encyclopedia of Natural Healing for Children and Infants, 2nd edition. Toronto (ON): McGraw-Hill.
• Bradley PR, editor. 1992. British Herbal Compendium: A Handbook of Scientific Information on Widely Used Plant Drugs, Volume 1. Bournemouth (GB): British Herbal Medicine Association.
• Brinker F. 2001. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions, 3rd edition. Sandy (OR): Eclectic Medical Publications.
• Brinker F. 2010. Online Updates and Additions to Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions, 3rd edition. Sandy (OR): Eclectic Medical Publications. [Updated 2010 July 13; Accessed 2013 January 30]. Available from: http://www.eclecticherb.com/emp/updatesHCDI.html
• EMEA 2006. European Medicines Agency. Community Herbal Monograph on Aloe Barbadensis Miller and on Aloe (Various Species, Mainly Aloe Ferox Miller And Its Hybrids). London (UK): EMEA Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC), 26 October 2006. Available from: http://www.emea.europa.eu/pdfs/human/hmpc/aloe/7631006en.pdf [Accessed 08 August 2008].
• Felter HW, Lloyd JU. King's American Dispensatory, Volume 1, 18th edition. Sandy (OR): Eclectic Medical Publications; 1983 [Reprint of 1898 original].
• Fulton JE. 1990. The stimulation of post dermabrasion wound healing with stabilized Aloe vera gel-polyethylene oxide dressing. Journal of Dermatologic Surgery and Oncology 16(5):460-467.
• Grieve M. 1971. A Modern Herbal, Volume 1. New York (NY): Dover Publications [Reprint of 1931 Harcourt, Brace & Company publication].
• McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, editors. 1997. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press.
• McGuffin M, Kartesz JT, Leung AY, Tucker AO, editors. 2000. Herbs of Commerce, 2nd edition. Austin(TX): American Herbal Products Association.
• McIntyre A. Herbal Treatment of Children - Western and Ayurvedic Perspectives. Toronto (ON): Elsevier Limited; 2005.
• Sweetman SC , editor. Martindale: The Complete Drug Reference, 35th edition. London (UK): Pharmaceutical Press; 2007.
• USDA 2008: ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville (MD). [Accessed 2008-01-21]. Available at http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl
• WHO 1999: World Health Organization. WHO Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants, Volume 1. Geneva (CH): World Health Organization; 1999.
• Williamson EM. Potter's Herbal Cyclopaedia: The Authoritative Reference work on Plants with a Known Medical Use. Saffron Walden (UK): The C.W. Daniel Company Limited; 2003.

References reviewed

• Felter HW. The Eclectic Materia Medica, Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Sandy (OR): Eclectic Medical Publications; 1983 [Reprint of 1922 original].
• Gallagher J, Gray M. 2003. Is aloe vera effective for healing chronic wounds? Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing 30(2):68-71.
• Gerard J. The Herbal or General History of Plants. The Complete 1633 Edition as Revised and Enlarged by Thomas Johnson. NY (NY): Dover Publications; 1975.
• HC 1997. Health Canada. TPD/NHPD Category IV Labelling Standard, Stimulating Laxatives [online]. Ottawa (ON): Therapeutic Products Directorate, Health Canada. Available from: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/prodpharma/applic-demande/guide-ld/label-etiquet-pharm/laxstimu-eng.php [Accessed 08 October 2008].
• Hoffmann D. 2003. Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Rochester (VT): Healing Arts Press.
• MacKay D, Miller AL. Nutritional support for wound healing. Alternative Medicine Review 2003;8(4):359-377.
• Maenthaisong R, Chaiyakunapruk N, Niruntraporn S, Kongkaew C. 2007. The efficacy of aloe vera used for burn wound healing: a systematic review. Burns 33(6):713-718.
• Mills S, Bone K. 2000. Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy. Toronto (ON): Churchill Livingstone.
• Mills S, Bone K. 2005. The Essential Guide to Herbal Safety. St. Louis (MO): Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.
• Mills S. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalsim. Wellingborough (UK): Thorsons Publishers Ltd; 1985.
• Schilcher H. Phytotherapy in Paediatrics: Handbook for Physicians and Pharmacists. Stuttgart (D): Medpharm Scientific Publishers; 1997.
• Vogler BK, Ernst E. 1999. Aloe vera: a systematic review of its clinical effectiveness. British Journal of General Practice 49(447):823-828.
• Williamson EM, Evans FJ, Wren RC. Potter's New Cyclopaedia of Botanical Drugs and Preparations. Saffron Walden (GB): C.W. Daniel Company Limited; 1988.

Appendix 1: Examples of appropriate dosage preparations, frequencies of use and directions for use

Topical:

Leaf gel:

Preparations containing 10-70% leaf gel (WHO 1999)