Acemannan

aloe (Aloe vera)

Entire Monograph

Reported Uses

NOTE: see Herb & Supplement Effectiveness Rating Definitions table
acne [Possibly Effective]
acral erythema, chemo-induced [Insufficient Evidence]
alveolar osteitis [Insufficient Evidence]
amenorrhea [Insufficient Evidence]
anal fissure [Insufficient Evidence]
aphthous ulcer (canker sores) [Insufficient Evidence]
asthma [Insufficient Evidence]
atopic dermatitis (eczema) [Insufficient Evidence]
breast engorgement [Insufficient Evidence]
burning mouth syndrome [Insufficient Evidence]
burns [Possibly Effective]
common cold [Insufficient Evidence]
constipation [Possibly Effective]
dental plaque [Insufficient Evidence]
depression [Insufficient Evidence]
diabetes mellitus [Possibly Effective]
diabetic foot ulcers [Insufficient Evidence]
diaper rash [Insufficient Evidence]
dry skin [Insufficient Evidence]
epilepsy [Insufficient Evidence]
frostbite [Insufficient Evidence]
genital herpes [Possibly Effective]
GERD [Insufficient Evidence]
gingivitis [Insufficient Evidence]
heart failure [Insufficient Evidence]
hematopoietic stem cell transplant [Insufficient Evidence]
hepatitis [Insufficient Evidence]
HIV/AIDS [Insufficient Evidence]
hyperlipidemia [Insufficient Evidence]
hypertrophic scars [Insufficient Evidence]
IBS [Insufficient Evidence]
influenza [Insufficient Evidence]
lichen planus [Possibly Effective]
lung CA [Insufficient Evidence]
multiple sclerosis [Insufficient Evidence]
nipple fissures [Insufficient Evidence]
obesity [Possibly Effective]
oral mucositis [Insufficient Evidence]
oral submucous fibrosis [Possibly Effective]
osteoarthritis [Insufficient Evidence]
peptic ulcer [Insufficient Evidence]
periodontitis [Insufficient Evidence]
pressure ulcer [Insufficient Evidence]
psoriasis [Possibly Effective]
radiation dermatitis [Insufficient Evidence]
radiation proctopathy [Insufficient Evidence]
scabies [Insufficient Evidence]
seborrheic dermatitis [Insufficient Evidence]
striae distensae (stretch marks) [Insufficient Evidence]
sunburn [Insufficient Evidence]
traumatic oral ulcers [Possibly Effective]
tungiasis [Insufficient Evidence]
ulcerative colitis [Insufficient Evidence]
vaginitis [Insufficient Evidence]
varicose veins [Insufficient Evidence]
wound healing [Insufficient Evidence]
wrinkled skin [Insufficient Evidence]
xerostomia [Insufficient Evidence]

Reported Doses

Safety/efficacy may not be established; reported doses may be derived from limited or potentially inadequate studies with variable regimens, multi-ingredient products, or where concentration of active ingredients may vary widely

Effectiveness Ratings

[see Herb & Supplement Effectiveness Rating Definitions table]

acne, adult patients

[Possibly Effective]
Dose: apply 50% gel topically bid; Info: used with retinoid tx

acne, peds patients

[Possibly Effective]
Dose: apply 50% gel topically bid; Info: used with retinoid tx

acral erythema, chemo-induced

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: apply 87.4% gel topically bid; Info: used with 10% urea cream

alveolar osteitis

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: apply patch topically x1, then repeat 3 days later

anal fissure

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: apply 0.5% powdered spray topically tid

aphthous ulcer (canker sores)

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: apply 0.5% gel topically tid-qid

atopic dermatitis (eczema)

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: apply cream topically bid

burns

[Possibly Effective]
Dose: apply cream or gel topically bid

constipation

[Possibly Effective]
Info: Banned in US, see Other Info

dental plaque, adult patients

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: apply toothpaste qd-tid

dental plaque, peds patients

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: 10 mL (7% mouthwash) swish/spit bid; Info: for patients 8-14 yo

diabetes mellitus

[Possibly Effective]
Dose: 100-1000 mg PO qd; Alt: 15-150 mL juice PO qd

diabetic foot ulcers

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: apply gel topically bid; Info: used with oral antibiotic tx

diaper rash, peds patients

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: apply cream topically tid; Info: cream prepared with aloe:olive oil (3:2 ratio) in emulsion base

dry skin

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: 500 mg PO qd; Alt: apply 0.1-0.5% cream topically qd; apply aloe-coated gloves topically qd

genital herpes

[Possibly Effective]
Dose: apply 0.5% cream topically tid

GERD

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: 10 mL syrup PO qd; Info: standardized to 5 mg polysaccharide per mL of syrup

gingivitis, adult patients

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: apply toothpaste qd-tid

gingivitis, peds patients

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: 10 mL (7% mouthwash) swish/spit bid; Info: for patients 8-14 yo

heart failure

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: 150 mg PO bid; Info: used with standard tx

hepatitis

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: 50 mg extract PO tid

hypertrophic scars

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: apply 15% gel topically qd; Start: 2wk after surgery

IBS

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: 250-500 mg PO bid; Alt: 50 mL juice PO qid; 60 mL juice PO bid

lichen planus

[Possibly Effective]
Dose: apply gel topically bid-tid; Alt: 30 mL mouthwash swish/spit qid; 0.4 mL mouthwash (70% gel) swish/spit tid; apply 70% mucilage topically bid

lung CA

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: 300 g/10 mL blended aloe leaves PO tid; Info: prepared with honey in 40 mL 40% alcohol

nipple fissures

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: apply poultice topically 6x/day; Info: may apply after breastfeeding

obesity

[Possibly Effective]
Dose: 147 mg PO bid

oral mucositis, adult patients

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: 15 mL (80% juice) PO tid; Alt: apply topically bid-qid during chemo or XRT

oral mucositis, peds patients

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: apply 70% solution topically bid; Start: 3 days before chemo; Info: for patients 3-6 yo

oral submucous fibrosis

[Possibly Effective]
Dose: 30 mL juice PO bid plus gel topically tid; Alt: apply 5 mg gel topically tid

periodontitis

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: apply gel or toothpaste

pressure ulcer

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: apply gel topically bid; Alt: apply 10-15 mL gel (3:2 ratio aloe:olive oil) topically q8h; apply gel topically qd before dressing

psoriasis

[Possibly Effective]
Dose: apply 0.5% cream topically tid; Alt: apply 70% mucilage topically bid

radiation dermatitis

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: apply cream topically bid-tid; Alt: apply 2% gel topically bid

radiation proctopathy

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: apply 1 g (3% ointment) rectally bid

scabies

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: apply gel topically qd

seborrheic dermatitis

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: apply 30% emulsion topically bid

striae distensae (stretch marks)

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: apply 87.4% gel topically bid; Alt: apply cream topically bid starting at 16-18 wk gestation

traumatic oral ulcers, adult patients

[Possibly Effective]
Dose: apply 80% gel topically bid

traumatic oral ulcers, peds patients

[Possibly Effective]
Dose: apply 80% gel topically bid; Info: for patients 12 yo and older

tungiasis

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: apply extract topically bid

ulcerative colitis

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: 100 mL (50% solution) PO bid; Start: 25-50 mL PO bid x3 days

vaginitis

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: apply 5 mg (2% cream) topically qhs

wound healing

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: apply gel topically x24h after surgery; Alt: apply 0.5% cream topically tid; apply 87.4% gel topically qd

xerostomia

[Insufficient Evidence]
Dose: 20 mL (50% mouthwash) swish/spit tid