Čes. slov. farm. 2004, 53(5):248-251

Isolation and Characterization of Active Compounds from Aloe vera with Possible Rolein Skin Protection

D. Košťálová¹, L. Bezáková², M. Obložinský², A. Kardošová³

¹ Katedra farmakognózie a botaniky Farmaceutickej fakulty Univerzity Komenského, Bratislava

² Katedra bunkovej a molekulárnej biológie liečiv Farmaceutickej fakulty Univerzity Komenského, Bratislava

³ Chemický ústav SAV, Bratislava

Aloe vera is widely used in food supplements, beverages, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. It has beenlong recognized as an effective natural remedy for its wound-healing properties and its positiveinfluence on other inflammatory skin disorders. Major proteins and mono- and polysaccharides wereidentified and analysed from Aloe vera commercial extract. Molecular weight of proteins calculatedfrom the sets ofmolecular weight reference standards, ranged from 70 kDa for the largest to 14 kDafor the smallest ones. IR spectral analysis of the carbohydrate fraction shows that the maincarbohydrate copound is acetylated (1→4)-β-D-mannan substituated with D-galactose and D-glucose.The results have shown that proteins and polysaccharides are a necessary component in thestudy of biological activity of Aloe vera leaf extract.

Keywords: Aloe vera; proteins; polysaccharides; peroxidase activity

Published: May 1, 2004  Show citation