Dietary Aloe VeraSupplementation & Glycemic

Control in Diabetesby Ken Jones, Chief Science Officer

ALOECORP Inc.

Diabetes is a deficiency orabsence of the hormone insulin,which is the main hormoneresponsible for the control of sugarin the blood. According to theNational Health Interview Survey,'conducted by the Center for HealthStatistics at the Center for DiseaseControl (CDC) in 2005, nearly20.8 million adults and childrenin the United States, or aboutseven percent of the population,suffered from diabetes. Of thisgroup, only about 15.6 millionhave been formally diagnosedwith diabetes; another 6.2 millionpeople remain unaware that theyhave the disease. Diabetes iscurrently the fifth-leading causeof death in the United States, buthealth policy experts believe that

mortality attributed to diabetes isvastly under-reported. Diabetesis associated with a number ofserious complications that increasethe risk of death, including heartdisease and stroke, obesity, cancer,high blood pressure, kidney failure,neurological diseases, traumaticamputations, and metabolicimbalances.

Only 35% to 40% of decedentswith diabetes have it listedanywhere on the death certificate,and only about ten percent to15% have diabetes listed as theunderlying cause of death. Theoverall risk of death for diabetics isabout twice that for non-diabeticsof comparable age. Heart diseaseand stroke account for about 65%of deaths for people with diabetes.

Adult diabetics' risk factors forstroke and death from heartdisease are two to four times thatof non-diabetic adults. Additionally,diabetes is associated with anumber of co-morbid conditionsthat adversely affect quality oflife, including blindness and othervision problems, mouth and gumdiseases, loss of extremities due toamputation, impaired circulation,loss of mobility, and osteoporosis.^

Diabetes has been linked tofactors associated with a Westernlifestyle, but the reality is thatdiabetes is one of the leadingcauses of death worldwide. Thereare two main types of diabetes.Type 1 is caused by an absolutedeficiency of insulin, and because

TOWNSEND LETTER - MAY 2007 121

Aloe Vera

it usually manifests before the ageof 25, type 1 is sometimes calledinsulin-dependent or juvenile-onsetdiabetes. Management of thediseaserequires insulin supplementation,usually administered by injectionor via metered infusion pumps.Type 2, or non-insulin-dependent,diabetes usually manifests afterage 40 and is due to a combinationof relative deficiency of insulin(insufficient quantities are made intbe body) and insulin resistance,meaning tbat tbe body is unableto efficiently utilize tbe reducedamount of insulin it does produce.Type 2 diabetes sometimesrequires supplementary insulin,but, more commonly, it can bemanaged tbrougb diet and exercise,often in combination witb oralbypoglycemic medications. Tbereis a strong correlation betweenbeing overweigbt or obese and tbedevelopment of type 2 diabetes.^Tbe American Diabetes Associationwebsite (bttp://www.diabetes.org/home.jsp) offers information onweigbt loss and a brocbure titled"Weigbt Loss Matters" to provideadvice on how to start losing weightand become more active."*

Althougb tbe management oftype 1 diabetes requires insulinsupplementation, type 2 diabetescan often be managed solely by

getting sufficient exercise andeating a healthy diet. In somecases, oral medications can beadded to tbe treatment regimen tostimulate tbe pancreas to producemore insulin, decrease the amountof glucose made by tbe liver, slowtbe absorption of starcbes in tbediet, or control blood sugar. But tbemanagement of diabetes witboutany side effects is still a cballengeand has increased the demand forresearch on natural products withantidiabetic activity.

An abundance of evidence hasimplicated oxidative stress in thepathogenesis of diabetes (seeKaneto et al.^ for a recent review).Infiltration of pancreatic tissuesby various immune cells triggersinflammatory processes tbat leadto destruction of 6-celIs. In type2 diabetes, S-cell dysfunctionresults in hyperglycemia andinsulin resistance, a processknown as "glucose toxicity."Under these conditions, oxidativestress is provoked, and the JNKkinase pathway* is activated. JNKactivation together with oxidativestress is involved in the progressionof atherosclerosis, which is oftenassociated with diabetes. It is likelythat activation of the JNK pathwayand oxidative stress are involvedin the pathogenesis of botb type 1and type 2 diabetes.'^

A growing body of preclinicaland clinical researcb shows thatthe gel** of the Aloe vera plant,

Figure 1: Blood sugar, cholesterol and triglyceride values of patients after 42days treatment with Aloe vera gel. NS: not significant;

S: significant at p= 0.01. Data from Yongchaiyudha et al., 1996.^'

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administered as a juice or in driedform, has significant antidiabeticactivity. Not surprisingly, studiesusing animal models outnumberclinical trials, but animal studiesprovide supporting evidenceand often provide insights intomechanisms of action.

The control of blood sugaris critical in the management ofdiabetes. Research has shownthat elevated blood sugar leadsto increased oxidative stress andrisk of cardiovascular disease,and evidence of oxidative damagebas been demonstrated in arterialsamples from human diabeticsubjects.' Patients with diabeteshave decreased antioxidantdefenses with lower levels ofantioxidants such as vitaminsC and E, or reduced activitiesof antioxidant enzymes suchas catalase (CAT), superoxidedismutase (SOD), and glutathioneperoxidase (GPx). Singh et al.conducted an extensive study,^showing that oral dosing withaloe induced the Phase II enzymesystem (including SOD, catalase,and glutathione peroxidase) ofmice and significantly reduced lipidperoxidation. Supplementationwith Aloe vera gel has also beenfound to markedly enhance thebioavailability and half-life of theantioxidant vitamins, ascorbate(vitamin C), and tocopherol(vitamin E).̂

In the studies reported here,oral treatment with Aloe veragel has been shown to aid in thenormalization of blood sugarand to stimulate tbe body's ownantioxidant defenses. These

• The c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signalingpathway is a major mediator of stressresponses in (.-ells. Activation of the JNKpathway interferes with insulin action andreduces insulin biosynthesis and is thought toplay a central role in the eliology of diabetes.

*' The "gel" of the .Moe vera plant refers to thecolorless, mucilaginous pulp (rom the innerpart ol the succulent leaves, obtained afterthe epidermis has been removed.

• ' " Streptozotocin is a glucosyl-nitrosoureacompound that is selectively loxlc to theInsulin-producing cells of Ihe pancreas. It isused in research to produce an animal modelfor type 1 diabetes.

122 TOWNSEND LETTER - MAY 2007

studies indicate that Aloe vera gelhas a beneficial effect on the liver,as a hypoglycemic agent, and incardiovascular disease by reducingoxidative stress.

Support for this hypothesismay be found in two studies fromThailand'"" that investigatedthe effect of Aloe vera gel onoxidative stress in streptozotocin-diabetic rats.*** In the firststudy, investigators examinedthe effect of orally administeredAloe vera ethanolic extract(300 mg/kg, IX/day, 21 days) onvarious measures of oxidativestress in streptozotocin-diabeticrats. The Aloe-treated group wascompared to normal control rats(not streptozotocin-diabetic), acontrol group of streptozotocin-diabetic rats, and a third treatmentgroup of streptozotocin-diabeticrats given a reference drug, theoral hypogiycemic glibenclamide(600 ^ig/kg/day x 21 days). Boththe Aloe-treated group and theglibenclamide-treated groups

showed similar ameliorative effectson oxidative stress in comparisonto the diabetic control group.These included significantlyreduced levels of plasma glucoseand significantly elevated levelsof insulin. Thiobarbituric acidreactive substances (TBARS)in plasma (a measure of lipidperoxidation), hydroperoxides,and alpha-tocopherol were allsignificantly reduced in the Aloe-and glibenclamide-treated groups,while reduced glutathione inplasma and pancreas, and vitaminC were all significantly elevated.Pancreatic activities of the oxygen-radical scavenging enzyme SODand the peroxide-reducing enzymesCAT and GPx were all significantlyreduced compared to the diabeticcontrols. Increased activity ofthese enzymes in diabetic rats isconsidered an adaptive response tooxidative stress, and therefore theirreduction by Aloe vera is indicativeof modulation of oxidative stress.

These results indicated thatAloe vera gel treatment effectively

normalized many of the measuresof oxidative stress that may beresponsible for many diabetescomplications. The investigatorsnoted that preliminaryphytochemical investigations hadindicated the presence of phenoliccompounds in the Aloe vera gelextract and speculated that thosecompounds could be responsiblefor the observed activity. Indeed,while phenolics with antidiabeticactivity have not yet been isolated,a separate group of investigatorsrecently reported on the isolationof five phytosterols from Aloe veragel that markedly reduced bloodglucose levels in a mouse model oftype 2 diabetes.'^

The second study byRajasekaran's group" was designedsimilarly to the first, in that, again,four groups of animals were used:normal controls, streptozotocin-diabetic controls, and two groupsof streptozotocin-diabetic rats,treated with either Aloe vera

Aloe Vera

gel extract (300 mg/kg/d x 21days) or glibenclamide (600 pg/kg/d X 21 days). Similar resultswere noted: lipid peroxides andTBARS were significantly reducedcompared to the untreated diabeticcontrols; liver and kidney reducedglutathione (GSH) was significantlyelevated. Plasma glucose andglycosylated hemoglobin weresignificantly reduced in theAloe and glibenclamide groups.Anomalously, however, in this study,the activities of SOD, CAT, GPx, andglutathione-S-transferase (GST)were all lower in the untreateddiabetic control group than in thenon-diabetic controls or the Aloe-and glibenclamide-treated groups.The authors rationalized theseresults by noting that decreasedactivity of SOD, CAT, and GPx inthe untreated diabetic animals

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TOWNSEND LETTER - MAY 2007 123

Aloe Vera

may have been due to glycation ofthe enzymes, and reduced activityof GST may be due to inactivationby reactive oxygen species. Theypostulated that in the Aloe-treatedgroup, the administered extractmay have reduced blood glucoselevels and thus prevented theglycation of enzymes and theirsubsequent inactivation. Theydid not, however, reconcile thisexplanation with the results oftheir previous study in which theopposite results were seen.

A third and more recent studyby this group'^ focused morespecifically on changes in bloodlipid profiles of streptozotocin-diabetic rats treated with Aloevera gel extract. The study wasdesigned similarly to the previousstudies, with two control andtwo treatment groups. As in theprevious studies, both the Aloetreatment and the glibenclamidetreatment significantly loweredplasma glucose and elevatedinsulin levels, suggesting a possibleinsuiinogenic effect associatedwith the activation of fi-cells. Aloe-and glibenclamide-treated groupsboth displayed "normalized" lipidprofiles after 21 days, includingsignificant reductions in plasmacholesterol, triglycerides, freefatty acids, and phospholipids,and significant reductions in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and very

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low density lipoprotein (VLDL),and a concomitant increase inhigh density lipoprotein (HDL).Diabetic nephropathy is anotherchronic condition associatedwith the disease and abnormallipid metabolism, and the renalaccumulation of lipids has beenproposed to play a role in itspathogenesis. The finding thattreatment of the diabetic rats withAloe extract was able to essentiallynormalize lipid profiles providedfurther evidence for the applicationof Aloe vera gel in the treatment ofdiabetes.

Supporting evidence for theantidiabetic activity of Aloe verawas also reported from an animalstudy by Korean investigators.'"Lim et al. studied lifelong dietaryAloe vera supplementation in agedrats (from six weeks to 16 months).Rats fed various freeze-dried Aloepreparations at a level of onepercent of the diet (per weight)over this period displayed reducedlevels of hepatic lipid peroxidation(measured as phosphatldylcholinehydroperoxide), elevated activity ofSOD and CAT, and a 30% lower levelof hepatic cholesterol compared tothe control group in 16-month-oldanimals, but not in four-month-old animals. Can et al.'^ examinedoxidative stress markers in thelivers of neonatal streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats givenvarious Aloe preparations bygavage (lx/day x 15 d). Glutathione(GSH), non-enzymatic glycosylation(NEG), and lipid peroxidation(LPO) were determined in livertissue; biochemical markers forliver function (serum alkalinephosphatase [ALP]; alaninetransaminase [ALT]) were alsoevaluated. All parameters werecompared to control non-diabeticrats and to an untreated diabeticcontrol group. In this group,degenerative changes in livertissue were evident, while liverdamage in diabetic rats given Aloegel, pulp, or glibenclamide wasdecreased. GSH was increased, andNEG and LPO were significantly

decreased. ALP and ALT activitieswere also decreased. All theseresults were consistent with thehypothesis that Aloe vera gelextract protects against diabetes-related hepatotoxicity in a mannerthat is comparable to glibenclamidewhen used in the treatment of type2 diabetes.

Human clinical trials on theantidiabetic actions of Aloe veraare relatively few, but the resultsreported are consistent with thoseof the animal studies. One earlyclinical study'** focused primarilyon the beneficial effects of acombination product containingAloe vera gel and "husk of Isabgol"(the Indian term for Psyllium seedhusks) on various parametersrelated to cardiovascular heaith,including serum cholesterol andtriglycerides, fasting and post-prandial blood sugar, total lipids,and increases in HDL. Additionally,frequency of angina attacks andintake of cardiac drugs weremonitored. The study's relevance todiabetes was based on the fact thatof the 5000 individuals in the study,3167 were diabetics displayingsymptoms of heart disease oftenassociated with diabetes (angina,atherosclerosis, hypertension).Patients consumed 100 g of Aloevera gel + 20 g of "husk of Isabgol"mixed with wheat flour and bakedinto bread. This "medication" wasconsumed at lunch and dinner,but the paper does not specifywhether the amounts consumedas described above were a totaldaily intake, or whether thisamount was consumed at eachmeal. The study also notes thatthe patients were monitored fora period of five years, but doesnot specify the actual length ofthe treatment regimen. Smokingand alcohol consumption duringthe treatment was prohibited,but patients with pre-existingmedication regimens maintainedthem. These included f^-blockers,verapamil, nifedipine, isosorbidedinitrate, sulphonylureas. digoxin,and diuretics and B-complex.

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The following key findings werenoted:• Feelings of well-being and

decreased symptoms of anginaappeared in many patients bythe second week of therapy.From three months to one year,all but 348 patients had normalECG profiles even after treadmillexercise.

• Lipid profiles improved in mostpatients after three months oftherapy. None of the patientssuffered new myocardialinfarctions during the course ofthe study.

• After three months treatment,4652 patients displayed normallevels of HDL cholesterol.Total blood lipids and serumtriglycerides were similarlywithin normal ranges for over90% of patients.

• Among the 3167 diabeticpatients, fasting blood glucoselevels had fallen to normalvalues in 94% of patients aftertwo months of treatment. Alloral hypoglycemic medicationshad to be withdrawn after twomonths of treatment.

Although this study is marred byserious methodological and designflaws, it is noteworthy as it is one ofthe earliest clinical trials to addressthe potential anti-diabetic activityof Aloe vera gel.

More recent (and better-designed) clinical studies havefocused specifically on theantidiabetic activity of Aloe veragel in diabetic patients. In a humanclinical trial'" conducted at theMahidol University of Bangkok,Thailand, patients with high fastingblood sugar and typical diabeticcurves of glucose tolerance, whohad never been treated withhypoglycemic drugs, were treatedwith 80% Aloe vera juice (1 tbsp/2x/day x 42 days). Thirty-sixpatients received the Aloe juice,while a control group of 36 receiveda similarly flavored carminativemixture. Blood samples weretaken weekly for measurement of

fasting blood glucose levels andevery two weeks for triglycerideand cholesterol analyses. Beforetreatment, the patients in thecontrol and treated groupsshowed no significant differencesin blood markers. After twoweeks of treatment, blood sugarin the treatment group had beensignificantly reduced compared totheir initial values (17%), and byday 42 of the treatment, these levels

Aloe Vera

were further reduced to 43% of theinitial values. Blood triglycerideswere significantly reduced to 70%compared to initial values after 28days and to 45% of initial values byday 42 of treatment. Cholesterollevels were unchanged throughoutthe treatment. In control groups, no

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Aloe Vera

changes in any of these parameterswere observed over the course oftreatment (Figure 1). No adverseside effects were reported due toAloe vera supplementation, andthere was no difference in weightor appetite in the treatment group.

At Mahidol University, a secondtrial'*^ with Aloe vera was conductedto determine the effect of Aloetreatment in patients unresponsiveto glibenclamide, an antidiabeticmedication used to lower bloodsugar levels by stimulating theproduction and release of insulinfrom the pancreas. In this study,levels of fasting blood glucose,cholesterol, and triglycerides wereunchanged when glibenclamidewas used alone. Results for theAloe treatment group were similarto the first study with a 49%decrease in blood sugar levels anda 52% decrease in triglyceridesat day 42, and no change incholesterol. A control group ofpatients receiving glibenclamidealone showed no changes in anyof these parameters. The results oftreatment with glibenciamide andAloe in combination were the sameas treatment with Aloe juice alone(as determined in the previousstudy''). The authors note thateven though blood sugar levels haddropped significantly after 42 days,they had still not reached normalvalues and suggested that the dosemay not have been high enough.This may also account for the lackof effect on cholesterol seen in thisand the previous Mahidol study.

No dosing study has beenconducted to establish theoptimum daily intake of Aloe veraas a functional food in conjunctionwith the studies cited here. Generalrecommendations for Aloe veraas a supplement range from oneto two ounces of single strengthjuice or 150 to 300 milligrams of200:1 gel powder twice a day, in themorning and before bed. Single-

strength Aloe vera gel is typicallystandardized to 0.5 percent solids,and gel powders are commonlyreferred to as a 200X or 200:1concentration. Whole leaf Aloe veraproducts are usually standardizedto one-percent solids, and thepowders are a lOOX concentration.

ConclusionDiabetes is the fifth-leading

cause of death in the United States,and health policy experts believethat mortality attributed to diabetesis vastly under-reported. Theoverall risk of death for diabetics isabout twice that for non-diabetics,and diabetes is associated witha number of complications thatincrease the risk of death, includingheart disease and stroke, obesity,cancer, high blood pressure, kidneyfailure, neurological diseases,traumatic amputations, andmetabolic imbalances. Elevatedblood sugar, indicative of diabetes,leads to increased oxidative stress,which is associated with thepathogenesis of diabetes. Oxidativedamage has been demonstratedin arterial samples from humandiabetic subjects, and patientswith diabetes have decreasedantioxidant defenses.

Although type 2 diabetes canoften be managed solely by exerciseand a healthy diet, oral medicationsmay be required to control bloodsugar. But the management ofdiabetes without side effects, suchas weight gain and increased riskof chronic disease, drives furtherresearch for alternatives, such asnatural products with antidiabeticactivity and protection from thedamaging effects of oxidativestress.

Preclinical and clinical researchshows that Aloe vera has significantantidiabetic activity includingnormalization of blood glucose andprotection from oxidative stress.Aloe vera has been shown in humanclinical trials to be as effectiveas glibenclamide in controllingblood glucose, and in one study.Aloe supplementation was shown

effective in patients unresponsiveto glibenclamide. In animal studies.Aloe supplementation showedsignificant reductions in bloodtrigiycerides, free fatty acids, andphospholipids, and significantreductions in LDL and VLDL. whileincreasing HDL without weightgain normally associated withconventional medications.

Patients with diabetes havedecreased antioxidant defensesand lower levels of antioxidantssuch as vitamins C and E, as wellas reduced activities of Phase IIantioxidant enzymes such as CAT,SOD, and GPx. Oral supplementationwith Aloe vera has been shownto naturally stimulate productionof these Phase II enzymes and, inhuman clinical studies, increasethe bioavailability and half-lifeof vitamins C and E in the blood.Additional studies show that Aloesupplementation can increase GSH,decrease NEG, LPO, ALP, and ALT,suggesting that Aloe vera may alsoprotect against diabetes-relatedhepatotoxicity.

While it is clear that moreand better-designed humanclinical studies are required tofully understand the activitiesof Aloe vera in biood glucosecontrol and its protective effectsagainst hepatotoxicity andoxidative stress, an abundanceof research supports a role forAloe vera supplementation in themanagement of type 2 diabetes.Aloe vera is not recommended asa replacement for conventionaltreatments for diabetes, and ahealth care professional shouldaiways be consulted before makingany dietary changes that may affectyour health.

Notes1, Centers for Disease Control, National

Center for Health Statistics. National HealthInterview Survey. Available at: http://www.cdcgov/nchs/nhls.htm. Accessed January 26,2007.

2. Centers lor Disease Control. Publicationsand Products. National Diabetes Fact SheetAvailable at; http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/estifnatesOS.hlm#dealhs AccessedJanuary 26. 2007.

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3. Harris Ml. Fle«al KM, Cowie CC. EberhardtMS, Goldstein DE. Little RR, et al. Prevalenceot diabetes, impaired fasting glucose, andImjjaired glucose tolerance in U.S. adults.The Third National Health and NutritionExamination Survey. 1988-1994. DiabetesCare. 1998;2]:5]8-2'1.

4. American Diabetes Association. Weight Lo.ssMatters. Available at: http://www.diabetes.org/weightloss-and-exercise/welghtloss.jsp.Accessed January 26, 2007.

5. Kaneto H, Katakaml N. Kawamori D, MiyatsukaT, et al. Involvement of oxidative sress in thepathogenesis of diabetes. Antioxid RedoxSignal. 2007:[epub ahead of print].

6. Kaneto H. The JNK pathway as a therapeutictarget for diabetes. Expert Opin Ther Targets.2005;9:581-592.

7. Haidara MA, Yas.sin HZ, Rateb M, AmmarH, Zorkana MA. Role of oxidative .stress indevelopment of cardiovascular complicationsin diabetes mellitus. Curr Vase Phuriitacol.2006;'l:215-227,

H. Singh RP Dhanalakshmi S, Rao AR.Cheniomodulatory action of aloe vera onthe profiles of enzymes associated withcarcinogen metabolism and antioxidantstatus regulation In mice. Phytomedicine.2000; 7:209-219.

9. Vinson JA, A! Kharrat H. Andreoli L.Effect of aloe vera preparations on thehuman bioavailability of vitamins C and E.Phytomedicine. 2005; 12:760-765.

10. Rajasekaran, S, Sivagnanam K, SubramanianS. Modulatory effects of aloe vera leaf gelextract on oxidative stress in rats treatedwith streptozotocin. Journal of Pharmacy andPharmacology. 2005:31:241-24fi.

11. Rajasekaran, S, Sivagnanam K. SubramanianS. Antioxidant effect of aloe vera gel extractin strepto:iotocin-induced diabetes in rats.Pharmacological Reports. 2005;57:90-96.

12. Tanaka T, Misawa E, Ito Y, Habara N, et al.Identificadon of five phytosterols from aloevera gel as anti-diabetic compounds. BiolPharm Bull. 2006;29:1418-1422.

13. Rajasekaran S, Kasiappan R, Sivagnanam K,Subramanian S. Beneficial effects of aloevera lea! gel extract on lipid proMle status inrats with slreptotozotocin diabetes. Clin Exp.Pharmacol Physiol. 2006:33:232-237.

14. Lim OB, Choue RW, Kim JD, Yu BP, et. al.Efficacy of dietary aloe vera supplementationin hepatic cholesterol and oxidative status inaged rats./ Nutritional Science & Vitaminology.2003:49:292-296.

15. Can A. Akev N, Ozsoay N, Bolkent 5, et al.Effect of aloe vera leaf gel pulp on the liverin type-11 diabetic rats. Biol Pharm Bull. 2004:27:694-698.

16. Agarwai 0. P. Prevention of AtheromatousHeart Disease. Angiology 1985;36: 485-92.

Ken Jones is Chief Science Officer of Aloecorp,Inc. Aloecorp is a manufacturer and distributorof Aloe vera ingredients and the industryleader in Aloe research. Aloecorp produces thehighest quality Aloe vera by a patented methodunder the brands ACTIValoe®, CERTIFIEDPLUS®, and Qmatrix® Proprietary Processing.

Aloe Vera

17. Yongchaiyudha S, Rungpitarangsi V,Bunyapraphatsara N, Chokechaijaroenporn0. Antidiabetic activity of aloe vera L. juice. 1.Clinical trial In new cases of diabetes mellitus.Phytomedicine. 1996; 3:241-244.

18. Bunyapraphatsara N, Yongchaiyudha S,Rungpitarangsi V. Chokechaijaroenporn0, Antidiabetic activity of aloe vera L.juice II. Clinical trial in diabetes mellituspatients In combination with glibenclamide.Phytomedicine. !996;3:245-248.

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For consumers and manufacturers who use andappreciate the unique health- and beauty-promotingproperties of Aloe vera, you simply can't put a priceon its many benefits. For Aioecorp, however, we can.As the world's leader in producing bioactive Aloevera ingredients since 1988, we've already investedmore than $13 million in scientific and clinical studiesat research centers and universities around the world.In addition to investing in research to support theefficacy of Aloe's polysaccharjdes and more than 200biologically active amino acids, vitamins, antioxidants,minerals, enzymes and sterols, however, we also investheavily in bringing important new technologies, patentsand products to our many markets around the globe.

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Aloes naturally-occurring benetits tor increasedimmune system health, wound healing, anti-aging,healthy blood sugar regulation, cardiovascular health,digestive health and antioxidant protection.

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process captures all of Aloe vera's naturally beneficialpolysaccharides and other health-promoting bioactivenutrients at "same as fresh" quality levels without theneed for refrigeration or preservatives.

Ultimately, Aloecorp's substantial ongoing research anddevelopment is designed for just one purpose - toensure that only the highest quality, clinically provenand most biologically beneficial Aloe vera is readilyavailable to our customers. You have our name on it.

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TOWNSEND LETTER - MAV 2007