Herbal Aloe Vera and Immunity

Aloe Vera is species of succulent plant in the genus Aloe, belonging to the Family Xanthorrhoeaceae, native to Sudan. It has become very popular for commercial cultivation due to its health benefits. Aloe vera has been used in herbal medicine in treating many kinds of disease, including wound, burn healing, minor skin infections, sebaceous cysts, diabetes, and elevated of cholesterol, etc. It is also one of many popular herb studied in scientific ways with some conflicted results.
The immune system is the set of cells and their activity against antigens or infectious agents that comprises of the body's defense system against diseases. The immune system does a great job of keeping people healthy and preventing infections. Beside foods and nutritional supplements, herbs also play a important role in helping the immune system defend against viruses and bacteria attacks.

The Ingredients 
The ten main areas of chemical constituents of Aloe vera include: amino acids, anthraquinones, enzymes, minerals, vitamins, lignins, monosaccharide, polysaccharides, salicylic acid, saponins, and sterols.
They all work together in a synergistic way to create healing and health giving benefits, according to Gertrude Baldwin in the article of THE BENEFITS OF THE USE OF ALOE VERA IN HERBAL PREPARATIONS.

The benefits
Aloe Vera is best known for it anti-inflammatory effects, in the study to determine the effect of the inner gel on bacterial-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine production, Aloe vera suppresses bacterial-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines from human immune cells. In the pharmacological study of Aloe arborescens Miller leaf components, The Aloe extract (1.2 mg ml(-1)) acted as a powerful immune stimulant in LPS- or poly I:C-activated SAF-1 cells, inducing a synergic effect on interconnected genes that are expected to be involved in different aspects of the immune responses. Aloe polymannose, a chemical compound found in Aloe Vera, also enhances the cognitive and immune functioning in patients of Alzheimer's disease by decreasing tumor necrosis factor-α, vascular endothelial growth factor, and interleukins-2 and-4

The Side effects
1. Hepatitis
Some researchers concerned that the over use of oral aloe vera may contribute to acute hepatitis, according to the study of "Oral aloe vera-induced hepatitis" by Bottenberg MM, Wall GC, Harvey RL, Habib S., posted in PubMed
2. Diarrhea, caused by the laxative effect of oral use of Aloe Vera
3. oral use of Aloe Vera may cause abdominal cramps and pain
4. It may cause of rheumatoid arthritis symptoms as a result of collagen in the plant
5. Etc.

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References
(1) Aloe barbadensis Mill. formulation restores lipid profile to normal in a letrozole-induced polycystic ovarian syndrome rat Model (PubMed)
(2)   ALOE VERA by Gertrude Baldwin, http://www.herballegacy.com/Baldwin_Chemical.html
(3) The inner gel component of Aloe vera suppresses bacterial-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines from human immune cells. by Habeeb F, Stables G, Bradbury F, Nong S, Cameron P, Plevin R, Ferro VA.(PubMed)
(4) Immune modulatory effects of Aloe arborescens extract on the piscine SAF-1 cell line. by Picchietti S, Bernini C, Belardinelli MC, Ovidi E, Taddei AR, Guerra L, Abelli L, Fausto AM.(PubMed)
(5) The effect of an aloe polymannose multinutrient complex on cognitive and immune functioning in Alzheimer's disease. by Lewis JE, McDaniel HR, Agronin ME, Loewenstein DA, Riveros J, Mestre R, Martinez M, Colina N, Abreu D, Konefal J, Woolger JM, Ali KH.(PubMed)
(7) Oral aloe vera-induced hepatitis(PubMed)
(8) Oral type II collagen in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. A six-month double blind placebo-controlled study(PubMed)