Abstract

ALPIZAR SIGLER, Néstor; LOMBARDO VAILLANT, Ariel  and  RODRIGUEZ ACOSTA, Mireyda. Immunodulating effect of Aloe Barbadensis in the critically ill surgical patient. Rev Cub Med Mil [online]. 1997, vol.26, n.2, pp. 87-93. ISSN 1561-3046.

A number of 32 critically ill surgical patients, hospitalized in the Emergency Services of "Dr. Luis Díaz Soto" Higher Institute of Military Medicine were studied. Patients were classiffied by the APACHE sepsis scale. The degree of immunosupression was proved through the test of active and spontaneous rosettes, circulating immunocomplexes, quatitation of immunoglobulins G, M, and A, and dosage of the third component of the complement (C3). The treatment was administered using an injectable extract of Aloe barbadensis, and its immunomodulating nature was validated with doses of 3 mg every 8 hours during 7 days, and every 12 hours until the 14th day by intramuscular route. The test of active and spontaneous, and the quantitation of the complement (C3) fraction, that initially were below normal figures, showed an increase in significant way within 7 and 14 days. Increased levels of circulating immunocomplexes decreased as days passed by. The increase of IgG was statistically significant when comparing their baseline levels at the beginning of treatment and 14 days after. Aloe barbadensis seems to exert an immuno-stimulating effect on the critically ill surgical patient.

Keywords : ALOE; INTENSIVE CARE; APACHE; IMMUNOSUPRESSION; COMPLEMENT 3 [isolation & purification]; ANTIGEN-ANTIBODY COMPLEX [isolation & purification]; ADJUVANTS; IMMUNOLOGIC [therapeutic use].