Elsevier

Burns

Volume 33, Issue 6, September 2007, Pages 713-718
Burns

The efficacy of aloe vera used for burn wound healing: A systematic review

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.burns.2006.10.384Get rights and content

Abstract

Aloe vera has been traditionally used for burn healing but clinical evidence remains unclear. We conducted a systematic review to determine the efficacy of topical aloe vera for the treatment of burn wounds. We electronically searched relevant studies in MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, HealthSTAR, DARE, South-East Asia Database, Chinese Databases, and several Thai local Databases (1918–June 2004). Only controlled clinical trials for burn healing were included. There were no restrictions on any language of publication. Two reviewers independently extracted data on study characteristics, patient characteristics, intervention, and outcome measure.

Four studies with a total of 371 patients were included in this review. Based on a meta-analysis using duration of wound healing as an outcome measure, the summary weighted mean difference in healing time of the aloe vera group was 8.79 days shorter than those in the control group (P = 0.006). Due to the differences of products and outcome measures, there is paucity to draw a specific conclusion regarding the effect of aloe vera for burn wound healing. However, cumulative evidence tends to support that aloe vera might be an effective interventions used in burn wound healing for first to second degree burns. Further, well-designed trials with sufficient details of the contents of aloe vera products should be carried out to determine the effectiveness of aloe vera.

Introduction

Aloe vera (Aloe vera Linn, synonym: aloe vera barbadensis Mill.) is in family Liliaceae, which is a tropical plant easily grown in hot and dry climates including Thailand. Numerous cosmetics and medicinal products are made from the mucilaginous tissue, called aloe vera gel, located in the center of the aloe vera leaf. Aloe vera gel has been used for many indications since the Roman era or even long before. Burn wound healing is one of major indications of aloe vera gel use in many countries [1], [2]. In Thailand, aloe vera gel was included in the Thai Herbal Fundamental Public Health Drug List as burn wound therapy [3]. Several studies [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10] suggested that aloe vera, or one or more of its constituents, promote wound healing in various animal models. However, its clinical evidence remains unclear [4]. Recently, there was a systematic review of 10 clinical studies of aloe vera evaluating its clinical effectiveness for a variety of indications was undertaken. They found that oral aloe vera might be valuable for reducing cholesterol or glucose levels. Its topical form might be effective for genital herpes and psoriasis but it is not an effective preventive for radiation-induced injuries [11]. However, the study did not report the efficacy of aloe vera for burn wounds. The aim of this systematic review was to determine aloe vera efficacy in burn wound healing.

Section snippets

Study selection

We electronically searched in MEDLINE (1966–2004), Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature; CINAHL (1982–2004), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (1996–2004), Cochrane Central of Controlled Trials (1991–2004), Database of Abstract of Reviews of Effectiveness; DARE (2001–2004), HealthStar (1975–2004), Health Source: Nursing/Academic Database (1975–2004), ACP Journal Club (1991–2004), Chinese Science and Technology Database (1989–2004), China Academic Database (1994–2004),

Study selection

A total of 1069 articles was identified. Nine hundred and twenty two studies were excluded because they were not conducted on humans, 124 (not used for burn wounds), 7 (duplications), and 12 (not controlled clinical trials). Four articles [14], [15], [16], [17] were located (Fig. 1). Two of the studies [14], [15] were conducted in Thailand while the others [16], [17] were performed in India and China. The Thamlikitkul study [14] was published in a Thai local journal while the Visuthikosol study

Discussion

To our best knowledge, this is the first systematic review conducted to determine the efficacy of aloe vera for burn wound healing. Existing evidence demonstrates that aloe vera used in a variety of dosage forms might be effective in shortening the duration of wound healing in first to second degree burns, and it tended to increase rate of success to healing and rate of epithelialization.

The promotion of burn wound healing was shown in a study conducted in guinea pig [9]. The study reported

Conclusion

Existing evidence demonstrates that aloe vera used in a variety of dosage forms might be effective in speeding up the wound healing process and tend to increase the rate of success of healing, and the rate of epithelialization in first and second burns when compared with conventional treatments. However, because of the differences of products used and an absence of studies with a quality score accepted as good quality, further well-designed trials with sufficient details of the contents of aloe

Acknowledgements

We thank Thailand Research Fund and School of Pharmacy Grant for Young Researcher for their grant support, Yingzi Zeng M.Sc. (The medical librarian in Sichuan University, China: Database searching assistant), Wang Feng M.Ed. (The Assistant Professor of Beijing Foreign Studies University, China: Translator), and Visanu Thamlikitkul, M.D., M.Sc., Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand.

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