Effects of oral aloe vera on electrocardiographic and blood pressure measurements

The effects of oral aloe vera on electrocardiographic and blood pressure measurements were evaluated. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study, healthy volunteers over age 18 years received either 1200 mg of oral aloe vera powder or matching placebo on day 1 of the study and the treatment not received during the first phase on day 8. In each phase, electrocardiographic variables, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure were evaluated at baseline and one, three, five, and eight hours after treatment. The primary endpoint was the maximum posttreatment Q-Tc interval over eight hours in both groups. Sixteen participants were enrolled in the study, with a mean ± S.D. age of 25 ± 5 years. No significant differences in electrocardiographic or blood pressure measurements were observed. The maximum Q-Tc interval was 419 ± 17 milliseconds in the placebo group and 422 ± 17 milliseconds in the aloe-treated group. The maximum P-R intervals in the placebo- and aloe-treated groups were 166 ± 22 and 169 ± 25 milliseconds, respectively. The maximum QRS complex duration did not significantly differ between the placebo- and aloe-treated groups (89.4 ± 9 and 89.3 ± 9 milliseconds, respectively). The maximum systolic blood pressures in the placebo- and aloe-treated groups were 120 ± 16 and 120 ± 14 milliseconds, respectively. The maximum diastolic blood pressures in the placebo- and aloe-treated groups were 74 ± 10 and 75 ± 9 milliseconds, respectively. A single dose of oral aloe vera had no effect on electrocardiographic or blood pressure measurements in young healthy volunteers.