Culture-Based No-Detectable-Growth Assessment And Antioxidant Profiling of Fresh Aloe vera Gel Extract

Area of Science:

• Phytochemistry
• Microbiology
• Complementary Medicine

Background:

• Aloe vera is extensively used in topical and complementary medicine.
• Standardized laboratory methods for evaluating Aloe vera's properties are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a practical laboratory workflow for characterizing fresh Aloe vera extracts.
• To simultaneously assess total antioxidant capacity (TAC), pH, microbial growth, and antimicrobial activity.

Main Methods:

• Aloe vera extracts (5-20%) were prepared and analyzed for pH and TAC using potentiometry and ABTS assay.
• No-detectable-growth status was assessed via inoculation on blood, EMB, and Sabouraud agar.
• Antimicrobial screening involved disk diffusion and tube dilution assays of an Aloe vera/N-acetyl-L-cysteine mixture.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in TAC were observed across formulations, with the 20% extract showing the highest values.
• No bacterial or fungal growth was detected in any extract formulation within 72 hours.
• The Aloe vera/N-acetyl-L-cysteine mixture demonstrated antimicrobial activity, with inhibition zones up to 17 mm against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Conclusions:

• A practical laboratory workflow for fresh Aloe vera extract characterization was established.
• The workflow supports early-stage complementary medicine research by assessing key quality parameters.
• Findings support the use of Aloe vera in topical formulations due to its antioxidant and antimicrobial potential.