Effects of Long-Term Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f. Consumption on Histopathology and Blood Biochemistry Factors in Male Wistar Rats

There is a general belief that herbal supplements and remedies have no harmful effects on the human body. However, liver problems caused by the overuse of medicinal plants in recent decades are a growing concern. This study aims at investigating the effects of long-term administration of Aloe vera extracts on liver histology and blood parameters of rats. Three groups of 10-week-old male Wistar rats were treated with Aloe vera leaf pulp, leaf gel, and a mixture of both for 56 consecutive days. Then the liver histology and blood biochemistry of control and experimental groups were analyzed. The hematological study indicated that long-term consumption of Aloe vera extracts affected the levels of AST and ALT enzymes meaningfully in experimental groups compared with the control group. Changes in other blood parameters, including fasting blood sugar, cholesterol, and Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, were also detected in test groups in comparison with the control group. The histopathological findings demonstrated that hepatic steatosis was the most prominent effect of long-term consumption of Aloe vera fractions, which was consistent with the rise in the levels of ALP and ALT enzymes in the blood of test groups compared with the control group. The findings of this study are of importance, as they warn against the harmful effects of the overuse of the curative medicinal plant, Aloe vera, on mammals’ liver.