Aloe vera gel: Lee et al. have published an article dealing with the prevention of ultraviolet radiation-induced suppression of contact hypersensitivity by Aloe vera gel components. They recently reported that Aloe vera gel contains small molecular weight immunomodulators (G 1C2F1) that restore ultraviolet B (UVB)-suppressed accessory cell function of epidermal Langerhans cells (LC) in vitro. In the study, they evaluated the UVB-protective activity of G1C2F1 in vivo. Exposure of the shaved abdominal skin of mice to 2.4 KJ/m2 of UVB radiation resulted in suppression of contact sensitization through the skin to 41.1%, compared to normal unirradiated skin.
Topical application of G1C2F1 immediately after irradiation reduced this suppression significantly. The percentage recovery of UVB-suppressed contact hypersensitivity (CHS) response was 52.3, 77.3, and 86.6% when the irradiated skin was treated once with 0.1, 0.5, and 2.5 mg/ml of G1C2F1- containing cream, respectively. The study, together with the previous observation, shows that Aloe vera gel contains small molecular weight immunomodulators that prevent UVBinduced immune suppression in the skin by restoration of UVB-induced damages on epidermal LC.
