Su, C.K., Mehta, V., Ravikumar, L., Shah, R., Pinto, H., Halpern, J., … Quynh-Tu, L. (2004). Phase II double-blind randomized study comparing oral aloe vera versus placebo to prevent radiation-related mucositis in patients with head-and-neck neoplasms. International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics, 60, 171–177.
Patients were given 20 mL aloe vera solution or placebo to swish and swallow four times per day beginning on the first day of radiation therapy (RT) and continuing throughout the treatment course. The solution consisted of 94.5% aloe juice, 5.0% pear juice concentrate, 0.4% lemon-lime flavor, and 0.1% citric acid. The placebo solution was taste-matched with identical astringency, consistency, and ingredients, except that the aloe vera juice was replaced with water.
The study reported on 58 patients with stage II-IV M0 head and neck cancer who were scheduled to receive radiation of at least 50 Gy to at least one site; 28 patients were given aloe vera, and 30 were given placebo.
The study was conducted from February 1999 through March 2002.
This was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial.
Findings were not significant.
This study did not accrue adequate patients according to statistical analysis.