Ann Dermatol.  2009 Feb;21(1):6-11. 10.5021/ad.2009.21.1.6.

Dietary Aloe Vera Supplementation Improves Facial Wrinkles and Elasticity and It Increases the Type I Procollagen Gene Expression in Human Skin in vivo

• Cho S
• Lee S
• Lee MJ
• Lee DH
• Won CH
• Kim SM
• Chung JH

• KMID: 2172058
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5021/ad.2009.21.1.6

Abstract

BACKGROUND: No studies have yet been undertaken to determine the effect of aloe gel on the clinical signs and biochemical changes of aging skin.
OBJECTIVE
We wanted to determine whether dietary aloe vera gel has anti-aging properties on the skin.
METHODS
Thirty healthy female subjects over the age of 45 were recruited and they received 2 different doses (low-dose: 1,200 mg/d, high-dose: 3,600 mg/d) of aloe vera gel supplementation for 90 days. Their baseline status was used as a control. At baseline and at completion of the study, facial wrinkles were measured using a skin replica, and facial elasticity was measured by an in vivo suction skin elasticity meter. Skin samples were taken before and after aloe intake to compare the type I procollagen and matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP-1) mRNA levels by performing real-time RT-PCR.
RESULTS
After aloe gel intake, the facial wrinkles improved significantly (p<0.05) in both groups, and facial elasticity improved in the lower-dose group. In the photoprotected skin, the type I procollagen mRNA levels were increased in both groups, albeit without significance; the MMP-1 mRNA levels were significantly decreased in the higher-dose group. Type I procollagen immunostaining was substantially increased throughout the dermis in both groups.
CONCLUSION
Aloe gel significantly improves wrinkles and elasticity in photoaged human skin, with an increase in collagen production in the photoprotected skin and a decrease in the collagen- degrading MMP-1 gene expression. However, no dose- response relationship was found between the low-dose and high-dose groups.

Keyword

Aging; Aloe vera; Matrix metalloproteinase; Procollagen; Wrinkles

MeSH Terms

Aging
Aloe
Collagen
Collagen Type I
Dermis
Elasticity
Female
Gene Expression
Humans
Matrix Metalloproteinase 1
Procollagen
RNA, Messenger
Skin
Suction
Collagen
Collagen Type I
Matrix Metalloproteinase 1
Procollagen
RNA, Messenger

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 The type I procollagen mRNA levels measured by real-time RT-PCR before and after aloe vera gel intake in the lower-dose group (n=6) and the higher-dose group (n=6). Wilcoxon's signed rank test was used for statistical analysis.

• 

  Fig. 2 The collagen-degrading MMP-1 mRNA levels before and after aloe vera gel intake in the lower-dose group (n=6) and the higher-dose group (n=6). Statistical significance was tested by Wilcoxon's signed rank test.

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  Fig. 3 Type I procollagen (Takara) immunostaining in the buttock skin before and after aloe vera intake (original magnification ×200). The results are representative of 6 biopsied subjects in each group.

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