Phytochemical profiles, biological activities and medicinal importance of Aloe vera L.: A review

Abstract

Aloe vera (Av) is revered in Ayurveda as the "wand of heaven" or "heaven's blessing" and precisely the "silent healer". This herbaceous plant belongs to Asphodelaceae family, previously classified as Liliaceae. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Av is acknowledged for its abundant bioactive substances that have considerable therapeutic value. Therefore, the objective of this review is to analyze Av's bioactive compounds, highlighting its medicinal potential in drug development. An extensive literature review is performed utilizing databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, SpringerLink, and more until October 2024. The research investigates the bioactive compounds of Av and their in vivo, in vitro, and in silico effects on infections (bacterial, fungal, viral, and protozoan infections), along with their medicinal properties and significance in drug development. The most investigated active constituents of Av are aloin, emodin, acemannan, and aloesin. Av contains more than 100 potentially active components from six different classes: anthraquinone, chromone, phenylpropanoids, coumarins, phenylpyrone, and phytosterols, focusing on its anti-infective, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, immuno-modulatory activity and impact on neural diseases as well, based on peer-reviewed scientific data. By deepening the understanding of Av's medicinal value, this study may provide a reference for its future research and the development of new bioactive drug molecules from Av.