Extraction, structural properties, and applications of aloe mucilage

Abstract

Aloe mucilage (AM) or Aloe vera (AV) gel is widely used for its nutritional and medicinal properties. It is a natural hydrocolloid that is preferred over semisynthetic and synthetic excipients for its biocompatibility, biodegradability, no toxicity, cheap cost, ease of accessibility, and adaptability. The aforementioned characteristics make AM an excellent candidate for the design of safe, stable, and cost-effective formulations for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. The primary composition of AM is high molecular weight polysaccharides that can be used in the formulation of hydrogels, films, scaffolds, and nanoparticles. Besides AM has also been used in the pharmaceutical industry as a thickener, suspending agent, water retention agent, emulsion stabilizer, gelling agent, tablet binder, film former, and sustained-release agent. This chapter discusses in detail the structural and physicochemical characteristics of AM, its extraction processes, and its various applications in drug delivery, tissue regeneration, and wound healing. © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.