Author: Hanna Svitina, Roan Swanepoel, Jacques Rossouw, Happiness Netshimbupfe, Chrisna Gouws and Josias Hamman*
physiological roles, barrier to protect the underlying tissues against the elements and pathogens, Skin disorders, biochemical functions such as preventing excessive water loss, Aloe vera is the most commonly used Aloe species for medicinal purposes, skin related applications and disorders, treatment of skin related disorders, Cosmetic and cosmeceutical products, maintain and protect skin through proper hydration, which can improve skin function and appearance, External factors and topical irritants can disturb or remove the stratum corneum water content and surface lipids of the skin, eventually leading to dry skin and atopic dermatitis, Skin hydration aims to increase and maintain surface moisture and homeostasis, while delaying aging and treating cosmetic problems, aloe is a cosmetic agent to improve skin appearance and beauty, cosmetic products at low concentrations as skin-conditioning agents, Aloe vera leaf extract and leaf polysaccharides are also known emollients and humectants, astringent to contract the skin and remove dead skin cells, since zinc can tighten pores, Aloe materials can protect the skin against free radical damage through its antioxidant properties, cleansing and antiseptic actions of soapy saponins, the antiinflammatory effects of phytohormones and sterols such as cholesterol, and ß-sitosterol and other bioactivities of the complex polysaccharides, reduces drying and irritation of the skin. The polysaccharides are also useful in a soap-type shave cream, acting as a lubricant due to its mucilaginous nature, penetrate the dermal layers deeply, allowing moisturizers and water to restore fluid loss and replenishing the fatty layer, Acemannan mucopolysaccharides assist in moisture retention of the skin, as a humectant and can be added to nonionic, cationic or anionic moisturizing products, although the quantity is limited in anionic emulsions , emulsifying system due to its pH of 4.0 – 5.0, Skin aging is a general and inevitable human dermatologic condition, characterized by loss of extracellular matrix in the epidermal and dermal layers, prevent and repair damage to reduce wrinkles and create younger looking skin, A. vera is used as an anti-aging treatment, since it is known to soften skin and encourage regeneration by stimulating cell proliferation through the amino acids such as arginine, asparagine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, serine and enzymes it contains, free radical damage is a key mechanism in the aging of skin, since these free radicals can damage structural cell membranes, lipids, proteins and DNA, antioxidant and anti-aging components in Aloe juice possibly include flavonoids, oligo-elements such as manganese and selenium, and superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase enzymes, although aloin, anthones and chromones may also be involved, antioxidant activities of Aloe polysaccharides, however, can be influenced by the degree of acetylation, glycosidic branching, type of sugar and molecular weight
