Authors Robert H. Davis
Aloe vera as a biological vehicle for the delivery of drugs, Aloe vera is used as a biological vehicle to deliver the estrogen, beta -estradiol and the androgen, testosterone propionate, provide treating symptoms and diseases mediated by hormonal deficiencies or amenable to treatment by hormones using Aloe vera as a biological vehicle, for treating hormonal deficiencies and conditions amenable to treatment with hormones using Aloe vera as a biological vehicle for delivery of the hormone, Aloe compounds having diverse biological activities, including anti-tumor activity, anti-gastric ulcer, anti-diabetic, anti-tyrosinase activity, and antioxidant activity, Aloe can be used as a vehicle for delivering the corticosteroid, hydrocortisone, administered both topically and subcutaneously, to the site of inflammation, This study revealed that Aloe vera contributed in an additive way to the activity of the steroid, suggesting that Aloe vera may be useful as a biological vehicle for hydrocortisone. The significance of this finding is that if used in combination with Aloe vera, the dosage of the steroid can be reduced, while maintaining its biological activity, thereby reducing or eliminating any toxic side effects associated with higher dosages. These studies also revealed that Aloe vera assists in the penetration of hydrocortisone through the stratum corneum. Since Aloe vera contains many hydrophilic compounds, such as enzymes, amino acids and carbohydrates, as well as, hydrophobic compounds, such as vitamins and sterols, Davis et al. postulate that pharmacologic agents of both solubilities can be placed in Aloe vera and carried through the epidermal barrier, A vehicle is a substance, usually without biological activity, which is used as a medium for the administration of pharmacologic agents. Ideally a vehicle should be nonirritating and compatible with common medications. Criteria for vehicle selection include solubility of the active agent in the vehicle and the ability of the vehicle to penetrate physical barriers such as the stratum corneum and the lipid portion of the cell membrane. Consideration must also be given to any interactions between the vehicle and the active agent, the efficiency with which the vehicle releases the incorporated active ingredient, the molecular size and the composition of the vehicle. Traditional vehicles for subcutaneous administration include oils which tend to be irritating. Aloe vera has been shown to be nonirritating and nontoxic when injected subcutaneously in mice, even at massive doses, a vehicle will have a synergistic effect, such that the final sum total of the activity in each system is greater than the sum of the components. As stated above, this is highly desirable in that less of the pharmacologic agent can be used to achieve the same effect, thereby reducing or eliminating any side effects associated with higher dosages.
