National Research Development Corporation

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An Improved Process for the Preparation of Aloin from Aloe

The Know how offers an improved method for the purification of aloin from fresh, sun dried, oven dried or freeze dried Aloe vera leaf exudate or the derived products thereof. The process yields superior quality (about 95% purity) of aloin with 90% recovery of the compound from source material. The process is cost effective and suitable for the commercial production of aloin. A Patent has been filed for the technology in India. Aloin is a commercially important raw drug and used worldwide as laxative. Aloin has been known to have several biological properties namely, anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiplasmodial, and act as a cytotoxic drug against breast and Aloe vera Plantation ovarian tumour cell lines. Commercially aloin is used as a bittering agent in alcoholic beverages and as a starting compound for the synthesis of aloe-emodin, diacerin and related medicinal compounds. Some of these medicinal compounds, like, rhein and diacerein are used in the treatment of osteroartritis. The utilization of purified aloin as drug is reported in arthritis, asthma, insomnia and haemorrhoids.

Aloin, also known as Barbaloin, is a bitter, yellow-brown colored compound present in the leaves of Aloe species. The leaf of Aloe vera when cut from the stem of the plant, a yellow sticky sap, drains out from the bottom of freshly harvested leaf and dried as dark brown coloured lumps. The most important constituents of Aloe bitter leaf sap are the anthrones, aloin A and B and the chromones aloesin and aloeresin A. Aloe bitter sap is further processed into purified aloin then refined to obtain diacerein, a drug for osteoarthritis.

Yellow Coloured Bitter Exudate

The Aloe plant is widely distributed in India and grows in wild as well as cultivated in large scale for obtaining the aloe bitter and the aloe gel. Aloe barbadensis, a traditional medicinal plant of India belongs to the family Liliaceae and also known as Aloe vera; Indian Aloe; Ghrita Kumari and Gvar Patha. It is a perennial plant having short erect stem, crowded green to grey-green, thick and fleshy leaves. Aloe bitter leaf exudate also known as the bitter sap, Aloe Gum or Latex is the main raw material for the technology and originates from the bundle sheath cells of the Aloe leaves. There are more than 400 species of Aloe plants that grow in wild or commercial cultivated throughout the world. The main aloe species used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, toiletry, food and beverages industries, are, Aloe vera L. (Aloe barbadensis Miller); Aloe saponaria (Aloe latifolia Haw); Aloe arborescens Miller (Aloe arborescens); Aloe ferox Mill (Cape Aloe); Aloe perryi (Socotra) and Aloe chinensis.

PROCESS The exudate (Either fresh, sun dried, oven dried or freeze dried) from the leaves of Aloe vera is collected and homogenously mixed with a solvent. The resultant mixture is centrifuged and concentrated several times to obtain aloin as dry crystalline powder. The powder is further purified to obtain a yellow coloured (Yellow or light yellow) fine powder of Aloin in high purity (about 95%). SPECIFICATIONS
Parameters Assay Content% by HPLC Specifications Aloin (A+B) 95% A 68% B 27% Yellow or light yellow fine powder Slight odor, Characteristic bitter taste 80 Soluble in ethanol ~7.0 (1% solution)

Appearance Odor & taste Mesh size Solubility pH

ADVANTAGES It is an efficient method (Recovery up to 90%) It gives superior quality product (Aloin purity is about 95%) It is suitable for all types of Aloe leaf exudates (Fresh, sun dried, oven dried or freeze dried) APPLICATIONS In Pharmaceutical Industry, Beverage Industry and Cosmetics USES OF ALOIN As a stimulant-laxative, for the treatment of constipation by inducing bowel movements As a bittering agent in alcoholic beverages For the production of aloe-emodin, rhein, diacerin and related compounds Rhein and diacerein are used in the treatment of osteroartritis