Aloe vera is a succulent plant from the lily family—Asphodelaceae or Liliaceae. Aloe vera juice is one of the few antidiabetic herbal medicines that have reached the clinical trial stage. A trial in which a combination of anti-diabetic medication -glibenclamide and Aloe vera juice did show the juice bringing about a significant reduction of fasting blood glucose in two weeks. Glibenclamide alone did not show improvements. It was further observed that within four weeks a reduction in triglycerides levels occurred. (Bunyapraphatsara, N. et al., 1996)
There were no follow-up trials. We will need to wait for corroborative evidence before a final declaration on the plant’s medicinal effects can be determined.
A few supporting studies on experimental rats indicate that the extract of this plant can help maintain blood sugar levels. Carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes in the plant are responsible for these antidiabetic properties. (Rajasekaran, S., et al., 2004; Rajasekaran, S et al., 2006)
Additional reading:
Natural Solutions for Diabetes