Evidence summary: Wound management low resource communities - Aloe vera for wound healing

Aloe vera is a succulent plant that has traditionally been used for natural wound healing. The leaves contain a gel substance that is harvested, then stabilised and sterilised with heat, before application to a wound (generally a burn) (Level 5.b evidence). Despite its wide spread use as a cost effective agent for wound management, there is minimal evidence on the efficacy of aloe vera in wound healing. The evidence identified for this summary included efficacy of aloe vera for healing partial thickness burns, diabetic ulcers, leg ulcers, surgical wounds, biopsy sites7 and stage >=2 pressure injuries (Level 1.b to 4.c evidence). The findings were contradictory; however, aloe vera was not inferior to contemporary wound care products, particularly for burn management. The different aloe vera products used, or the high risk of bias observed in most trials, may account for inconsistent findings. Safety reviews indicate that risks of using aloe vera products in wound management are low (Level 5.b evidence).