{"entity":{"id":"aloe-vera","kind":"technology","name":"Aloe vera","aka":["Aloe barbadensis","Aloe gel"],"tldr":"Aloe vera gel is widely used on skin reddened by radiotherapy, but trials of that use gave mixed results. Small studies suggest an aloe mouthwash may ease mouth ulcers from treatment. Aloe taken by mouth can cause liver injury and low potassium, and aloe injections sold as cancer treatments have caused deaths.","summary":"The clear gel from aloe leaves is used for burns and wounds; the latex and juice contain anthraquinone laxatives. Memorial Sloan Kettering's About Herbs summary reports that trials of aloe for radiation skin reactions produced mixed results, that preliminary studies suggest benefit for chemotherapy and radiotherapy mouth ulcers and for hand-foot syndrome, and that topical aloe improved symptoms of acute radiation proctitis in one study. These are small trials. MSK's warnings are specific: internal use should be discouraged because of adverse effects and inconclusive data; the FDA has ruled aloe unsafe as a stimulant laxative; and aloe injections given to people with cancer have resulted in several deaths. Reported harms of oral aloe include toxic hepatitis, thyroid dysfunction and low potassium in a patient during chemotherapy. Aloe juice inhibited CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 in laboratory studies, and excessive bleeding during surgery was reported after aloe tablets.","status":"phase-2","asOf":"2026-11-04","links":[{"label":"MSK About Herbs: Aloe vera (page last updated 2 October 2026)","url":"https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/aloe-vera"}],"tags":["complementary","supportive-care","evidence:insufficient"],"related":["ban-xia-xie-xin-tang","milk-thistle-silymarin"],"cancers":[],"sections":["supportive-care","radiation","chemotherapy"],"technologies":["integrative-oncology","alternative-medicine-instead-of-treatment"],"targets":[],"drugs":[],"companies":[],"institutions":[],"pathways":[],"terms":["radiation-dermatitis","mucositis"],"trials":[],"people":[],"bottlenecks":["b-toxicity-qol"],"keyPapers":[],"journals":[],"dependsOn":[],"notes":[],"principle":"Gel polysaccharides such as acemannan are anti-inflammatory and support wound healing on the skin; anthraquinones in the latex are stimulant laxatives.","strengths":["Topical gel is low risk","Small positive trials for mouth ulcers and radiation proctitis"],"limitations":["Radiation skin trials mixed","Oral use: liver injury and low potassium","Aloe injections have killed patients"]},"route":"/technologies/aloe-vera/","neighbours":{"technology":[{"id":"alternative-medicine-instead-of-treatment","kind":"technology","name":"Alternative medicine used instead of standard treatment","route":"/technologies/alternative-medicine-instead-of-treatment/"},{"id":"ban-xia-xie-xin-tang","kind":"technology","name":"Ban Xia Xie Xin Tang (Hangeshashinto)","route":"/technologies/ban-xia-xie-xin-tang/"},{"id":"integrative-oncology","kind":"technology","name":"Evidence-based integrative oncology","route":"/technologies/integrative-oncology/"},{"id":"milk-thistle-silymarin","kind":"technology","name":"Milk thistle (silymarin)","route":"/technologies/milk-thistle-silymarin/"}],"section":[{"id":"chemotherapy","kind":"section","name":"Chemotherapy","route":"/fronts/chemotherapy/"},{"id":"radiation","kind":"section","name":"Radiation Therapy","route":"/fronts/radiation/"},{"id":"supportive-care","kind":"section","name":"Supportive Care & Survivorship","route":"/fronts/supportive-care/"}],"term":[{"id":"mucositis","kind":"term","name":"Mucositis and stomatitis","route":"/terms/mucositis/"},{"id":"radiation-dermatitis","kind":"term","name":"Radiation dermatitis (skin reaction)","route":"/terms/radiation-dermatitis/"}],"bottleneck":[{"id":"b-toxicity-qol","kind":"bottleneck","name":"Toxicity and quality of life are undervalued","route":"/bottlenecks/b-toxicity-qol/"}]}}