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Extraction of Active Components of Aloe Vera to Treat Acne/pimple
in Population of Quetta City
Asma Yousafzai * , Saima Saleem, Nusrat Jahan, Fariha Javed, Muhammad Waseem Khan,
Razia Kanwal
Department of Biotechnology and Informatics, Balochistan University of Information
Technology, Engineering & Management Sciences, Quetta
Abstract
Comprehensive study of local aloe vera and its effects on acne/pimple was performed. The work
mainly describes the chemical investigation of aloe vera by traditional methods to check its
efficacy in the treatment of acne. Local aloe specie was gown and solutions of different
concentration were made. Samples of acne were collected from different acne sufferers to identify
the microbe which is major cause of acne infection. Doses of different concentrations of aloe
vera were tested on the acne causing microorganism. In the present work traditional methods
of plant extraction were used to find the relationship between aloe vera and acne treatment.
Doses of different concentrations were calculated and analyzed to treat acne.
Key Words: Aloe vera, Acne, Pimple, Traditional treatment, Medicinal plant
* Corresponding Author’s email: asmakhan@buitms.edu.pk
INTRODUCTION
Aloe barbadensis miller (Aloe vera) belongs
to the Liliaceal family,of wich there are about
360 species. It is a cactus-like plant that
grows readily in hot, dry climates and
currently, because of demand is cultivated in
large quantities (Newall et al., 1996).
Succulent almost sessile perennial herb, has
leaves 30-50 cm long and 10cm broad at the
base, color pea green (when young spotted
with white), bright yellow tubular flowers
25-35 cm in length arranged in a slender
loose spike, stamens frequently project
beyond the perianth. Its thick leaves contain
the water supply for the plant to survive long
periods of drought (Foster, 1999). Due to the
increasing development of antibiotic
resistance, the emphasis of the present study
is being given on the use of Aloe vera as a
natural remedy for the inhibition of various
infections and to identify the different
compounds. (Agarry et al., 2005)
Among these the most popular is Aloe
Barbadensis Miller which has most
therapeutic value and referred to as ‘True
Aloe’. After all the research, it has been
accepted that Aloe Barbadensis Miller is the
best, as it is the most consistent of all
varieties. Aloe Vera is generally propagated
by root suckers by carefully digging out
without damaging the parent plant and
planting it in the main field. It can also be
propagated through rhizome cuttings by
digging out the rhizomes after the harvest of
the crop and making them into 5-6 cm length
cuttings with a minimum of 2-3 nodes on
them. Then they are rooted in specially
prepared sand beds or containers. (Boudreau
and Beland, 2006; Oala et al., 2007).
Its thick leaves contain the water supply for
the plant to survive long periods of drought.
These leaves have a high capacity of
retaining the water. When a leaf is cut, an
orange yellow sap drips from the open end
which has a very strong laxative effect. When
the green skin of a leaf is removed a clear
mucilaginous substance appears that contain
fibers, water and the ingredients to retain the
water in the leaf. These ingredients give this
"gel" its special qualities as they are known
now for many centuries. Among the uses for
this gel is acceleration of wound healing, use
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