February 8, 1996
There is a quiet, but nonetheless impassioned battle being waged today between players in the Aloe vera arena, both in terms of science and the less precise field of marketing strategy. The question is: Does Aloe vera, in its natural form, have the therapeutic values imputed to it, or is there just one constituent in Aloe that provides all the benefits? It\'s a question of whether the entire orchestra does the healing, or just the solo performer.
This may seem an unusual analogy to apply to an herb reputed to be one of history\'s most revered and universally used healing plants. But it captures the current dichotomy between those scientists who believe that Aloe\'s therapeutic benefits derive from the "orchestration" of the more than 200 components found in Aloe vera gel - and the claim of a smaller band of researchers employed by a manufacturer of Aloe-based products - that only one element in the gel offers the curative powers for which the plant is known.
This "one-man-band" group has isolated a large, crude, polysaccharide from Aloe vera, which they have trademarked Manapolā„¢. While it appears that their theory is based on good science, it is their conclusion that is open to question. And this arguably flawed conclusion is being hotly debated in those circles devoted to Aloe research.
After almost 4,000 years of use throughout much of the world in its original form (i.e. gel fresh from the leaf), and the documentary evidence provided by many cultures and civilizations - from the ancient Greeks, Romans, Chinese and Egyptians to the many hundreds of today\'s scientific papers - one would be led to believe that whole Aloe possesses the healing power, rather than only one of its polysaccharide.
The "Orchestra" philosophy, endorsed by the International Aloe Science Council, believes that the curative power of Aloe results from the aggregate effect of the polysaccharides, enzymes, amino acids, glycoproteins, vitamins and minerals intrinsic to the plant and its exudate gel. They believe that it is the natural synergy of these uniquely combined components that make the plant such a remarkable tool for combating many of mankind\'s ills. They flatly reject the notion that there is but one component or "instrument" in the Aloe orchestra that carries the melodic theme - with the other 200-odd constituent members simply playing an incidental accompaniment... and contributing nothing to the healthcare benefits.
It is something of a reach to credit one newly isolated element in Aloe vera with all the well-documented benefits of Aloe - especially considering the volumes of empirical evidence gathered over the years regarding Aloe\'s ability to ameliorate pain, fight inflammation, speed wound healing, stimulate the immune system and demonstrate effectiveness against a broad spectrum of germs. Can this be the work of the piccolo player, alone? No single instrument can be given total credit for the beauty of a symphony and the unity of the orchestral sound.
This having been said, however, it must be recognized that Manapolā„¢ and its more highly refined predecessor, Acemannan - both products of the same company - may well play an important role in future medical practice. For example, Acemannan is now being clinically tested, with FDA sanction, in the treatment of HIV positive and AIDS patients. The preliminary results appear positive, and if the tests are successfully concluded, this will obviously prove to be a blessing to the millions of people now facing this scourge throughout the world, We can only hope that the test results match the scant information so far released.
To assert, as several writers have done - seemingly with information obtained from the developers of Manapolā„¢ - that Aloe-based products not containing Manapolā„¢ cannot offer the benefits associated with Aloe vera - seems little more than product ballyhoo, bearing but faint relation to the good science that produced both Acemannan and Manapolā„¢.
If, as it has been claimed, either Manapolā„¢ or Acemannan provide favoring circumstances to the medical use of Aloe in the treatment of ills, then surely the whole gel content can be viewed as even more beneficial, given that it provides a spectrum of additional therapeutic constituents, each of which is known to perform specific tasks in the healing process.
We know, for example, that mannose-6-phosphate, a major sugar in Aloe vera, is an active growth substance. It has been shown to have anti-inflammatory activity and stimulates fibroblast activation. If we then call M-6-P an oboe player, is its sound not important to that produced by the orchestra? Does it have, or need, Manapolā„¢ in order to produce its function of healing wounds?
There are countless other examples of specific constituents in Aloe vera that perform in special capacities relating to healing. Dozens of rigorously researched and carefully prepared scientific papers are published each year in support of the "orchestral" approach. These are written by men and women who have spent the better part of their professional careers in search of Aloe\'s "truth."
Should we now, on the basis of but one new "discovery" by a single group of researchers, throw out the baby with the bathwater? There are reputations on the line, here, and the majority seem to believe that, while Acemannan and Manapolā„¢ may serve important purposes, the Aloe vera orchestra still makes the music the health conscious world needs to hear.
Since the proponents of the One-Man-Band theory claim that Manapolā„¢, and only Manapolā„¢, does what Aloe is reputed to do, let\'s examine a few of Aloe vera\'s activities - apart from Manapol\'sā„¢ origin in the polysaccharide portion of the plant, and list these components.
| Salicylic Acid: | It offers anti-inflammatory activities and relieves pain. |
| Sterols: | They have anti-inflammatory activity. |
| Gibberellin: | It is a growth factor and offers anti-inflammatory activities. |
| Beta Carotene: | An antioxidant - possibly a cancer fighter. |
| Anthraquinones: | A known cancer fighter. |
| Zinc: | Shown to improve wound healing in diabetics. |
The list is, of course, longer than space permits in this treatment, but these few examples should tend to indicate that Aloe vera is, as naturally constituted, an important therapeutic tool.
It is said that "comparisons are odious." This may be so in social intercourse, but they are necessary in the scientific arena, as will be seen.
| Question: | Does it improve absorption? |
| Answer: | Aloe does. Manapolā„¢/Acemannan does not. |
| Question: | Does it improve the solubility of added agents? |
| Answer: | Aloe does. Manapolā„¢/Acemannan does not. |
| Question: | Is it a biological vehicle? |
| Answer: | Aloe acts as a transport mechanism. It is not known if Manapolā„¢/Acemannan this potential. |
| Question: | Has it a proven synergism with biological agents? |
| Answer: | Aloe vera, in combination with aspirin and other analgesics, has been shown to be synergistic. Manapolā„¢/Acemannan have not. |
| Question: | Does it contain valuable growth factors? |
| Answer: | Aloe has gibberin and auxin, both growth factors, and has been shown to improve wound healing. No such claims have been made for Manapolā„¢/Acemannan. |
| Question: | Does it offer biological agents that explain its activity? |
| Answer: | Aloe vera has 200 such agents. Manapolā„¢/Acemannan have but 1. |
The enthusiasm - perhaps even the passion - of those responsible for the conception of Manapolā„¢/Acemannan is to be applauded by all who appreciate hard-won scientific progress. Each step that brings us closer to the solution of mankind\'s critical medical problems is important.
But, once in a while - sometimes to the detriment of the science that has given us another vital tool - we seem to get caught up in the hyperbole of marketing the products that result. And that is an unfortunate thing when it denigrates the science that has gone before.
Obviously we must all hope that Manapolā„¢/Acemannan turn out to be vital armaments in the pharmacopoeia of medicine. Regardless of the result, however, we still have all the proven benefits of Aloe vera upon which to build better health for the world. In the words of one famous orchestra conductor: "It is the music that drives the orchestra, not individual musicians." Let us not now confuse the individual players with their music.
...Nor marketing hyperbole with scientific truth.