Aloe vera jel genotoxicity

Aloe vera gel is the clear jelly-like substance obtained from the Aloe vera leaf pulp. The latex part within the margins of leaf of Aloe vera is a source of many toxic substances including many kinds of anthraquinones. In production of Aloe vera gel, toxic substances in latex part can be transferred to the gel accidentally or by usage of improper methods of mechanical extrusion of the leafs; the contaminated gel was mentioned that it created serious health risk on public usage. In Turkey, Aloe vera gel has been sold to by door to door purchasing with a customer chain marketing services that were set by producer companies. Salesmen advertise the gel as a ?remedy for a wide range of illnesses and protect from many illnesses?, although these products can not be found at pharmacies. As a result of this marketing management, misinformed users can face many advers health risks. Especially the researches on toxicity of Aloe vera gel point out the scarity of research on carcinogenic and genotoxic effects of short/long tem usage of Aloe vera. The researches on evaluation of genotoxicity of Aloe vera gel, can provide very important information regarding the safety of product; new and extensive evaluations are needed about the issue.In this study, genotoxic potential of commercial Aloe Vera gel sold by the salesmen with current marketing policy with mice using Comet (single cell gel electrophoresis) method have been evaluated. Swiss Albino, male and female mice that weight 30-45 gr were used. Comet assay is a fast, reliable and simple method, which allows the investigation of DNA damage at the individual cell level. One of the Commercial Aloe vera gel in the market given orally to experimental animals for 14 days with normal, half and double doses once per day that are suggested for human dose to mice. A control group were accompany the experiment groups. Tail venous blood of mice were taken at 1, 7 and 14 th days of experiment and evaluated for genotoxicity parameters via comet assay. For the half dose, statistical significancy heve been found when the results of 1st and 14th days of experiments compared (p<0.01). Similar significancy have been observed when the results of 1st and 7th days of experiments comparred (p<0.01). In the double doses, statistical significancy heve been found when the results of 1st and 7th (p<0.01) and 1st and 14th (p<0.05) days of experiments compared as well. Obtained results also compared with the resuts of control group. We have not found any differences between the dose groups and control goup as a consider of 1st day experimental results (p>0.01). On the other hand significant differencens have been observed when in x2 dose-treated group compared with control group in 7th day (p<0.01)Keywords: Aloe vera gel, genotoxicity, comet assay