Aloe Vera Leaf Extract

What is aloe vera leaf extract?

Aloe vera leaf extract is prepared from the clear gel obtained from fresh leaves of the Aloe vera (R), a tropical succulent plant that grows easily in hot and dry climates (R). Its medicinal properties have been recognised for thousands of years - Egyptian queens incorporated it into their beauty regimes, while Alexander The Great and Christopher Columbus used it to treat wounds in soldiers (R).

Aloe vera contains dozens of potentially active compounds. The clear gel within the leaves is made up of 99% water, but also includes glucomannans, amino acids, lipids, sterols, vitamins, minerals and enzymes (R, R).

Is aloe vera leaf extract absorbed?

Certain components of the aloe vera leaf extract readily permeated pig ear skin, a common model for human skin (R). Aloe vera gel has also been shown to act as a skin permeation enhancer, especially for substances with low molecular weight (R), possibly by increasing their partitioning into the skin (R). Pre-treating the skin with aloe vera juice does not seem to improve transdermal delivery however (R).