Protective effect of Aloe vera gel on the permeability transition pore in the inner membrane of rat liver mitochondria in vitro

Abstract

Objective: Aloe vera is a perennial drought resisting, succulent plant belonging to the zanthorrhoeaceae family which historically has been used for a variety of medicinal purposes. This study seeks to determine the effect of varying concentrations of Aloe vera gel (50, 100, 150, 250, and 350 µg/ml) on mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) in rat liver mitochondria (RLM) (in vitro). Methods: Fresh Aloe gel was prepared daily from the Aloe vera leaf and the effect of the gel on mitochondrial membrane permeability transition pore opening was estimated in vitro using the spectrophotometric method of Lapidus and Sokolove. Results: Varying concentrations of Aloe vera gel (50, 100, 150, 250, and 350 µg/ml) induced (insignificantly at p < 0.05) the opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore in a concentration dependent manner in the absence of calcium (Δ540 nm as −0.020 ± 0.008, −0.021 ± 0.009, −0.031 ± 0.013, −0.031 ± 0.014, −0.034 ± 0.014 respectively) when compared with the control (−0.016 ± 0.009). In the presence of calcium, the various concentrations of Aloe vera gel further opened the MMPT pore with the highest effect noticed at 350 µg/ml concentration. Conclusions: These findings indicate that Aloe vera gel modulates the mitochondrial pore opening by further increasing the effect of calcium. This effect is needed in situations that requires tissue wastage such as in cancer treatment.