Aloe Vera Ointment Application and Skeletal Muscle Recovery

NCT03934762 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: ALOE VERA-PILOT STUDY-UTH
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 10
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Aloe vera, sometimes described as pharmaceutical aloe, is a flowering succulent plant with many therapeutic properties such as wound and burn wound healing, treatment of diabetes and reduction of blood lipid profile. These benefits have been primary attributed to its high content in polysaccharides, anthraquinones and lectins. However, aloe vera includes more than 200 ingredients and nutrients (i.e. vitamins, saponins, amino acids, anthraquinones, minerals and trace-elements, salicylic acid, saccharides, lignin, enzymes, sterols) the combination of which offers more powerful effects and health-related benefits compared to each one of them separately. Thus, based on the ingredients and nutrients included, it has been proposed that aloe vera may also offer anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, analgesic and anabolic benefits. Exercise training, especially when it is unaccustomed or characterized by increased intensity, results in skeletal muscle microtrauma accompanied by elevated plasma levels of Creatine Kinase (CK), increased sensation of muscle soreness (DOMS), reduced force generating capacity and marked declines in speed and agility. Both anti-inflammatory and antioxidative mechanisms in skeletal muscle are crucial for the termination of inflammatory response and muscle healing process following exercise-induced aseptic muscle injury and inflammation. Although, it has been proposed that ale vera may elicit anti-inflammatory and antioxidative activity, its effectiveness in alleviating exercise-induced skeletal muscle injury and its symptoms, has not been investigated yet. Therefore, the aim of the present pilot study is to examine the effect of transdermal aloe veral delivery on skeletal muscle damage symptoms following an intense eccentric exercise protocol.

Conditions

Skeletal Muscle Damage; Exercise-induced Aseptic Inflammation; Performance

Keywords

aseptic inflammation; muscle trauma; muscle strength; aloe vera

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Change in creatine kinase activity in plasma

  Creatine kinase activity will be measured in plasma by utilizing a Clinical Chemistry Analyzer and commercially available kits.

  At baseline, 1 hour post-exercise, 6 hours post-exercise and daily for 7 consecutive days post-exercise

• Change in performance of knee extensor muscles

  Maximal knee extensor concentric, eccentric and isometric peak torque will be measured on an isokinetic dynamometer.

  At baseline, 1 hour post-exercise, 6 hours post-exercise and daily for 7 consecutive days post-exercise

• Change in delayed onset of muscle soreness

  Muscle soreness will be assessed during palpation of the muscle belly and the distal region of relaxed quadriceps muscle following three repetitions of a full squat.

  At baseline, 1 hour post-exercise, 6 hours post-exercise and daily for 7 consecutive days post-exercise

Study Arms (3)

Placebo

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

A placebo solution will be applied on the quadriceps of one of the lower limbs immediately after the exercise protocol and daily for 7 consecutive days.

Biological: Placebo

Natural aloe vera

EXPERIMENTAL

A natural aloe vera solution (peel and leaf) will be applied on the quadriceps of one of the lower limbs immediately after the exercise protocol and daily for 7 consecutive days.

Biological: Natural Aloe Vera

Aloe vera soup

EXPERIMENTAL

An aloe vera soup solution will be applied on the quadriceps of one of the lower limbs immediately after the exercise protocol and daily for 7 consecutive days.

Biological: Aloe vera soup

Interventions

Placebo BIOLOGICAL

A placebo solution that will not include aloe vera will be applied on the quadriceps of one of the lower limbs.

Placebo

Natural Aloe Vera BIOLOGICAL

Natural aloe vera solution including peel and leaf from aloe will be applied on the the quadriceps of one of the lower limbs.

Natural aloe vera

Aloe vera soup BIOLOGICAL

Aloe vera solution including aloe vera soup will be applied on the the quadriceps of one of the lower limbs.

Aloe vera soup

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 25 Years
• Sex: male
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Absence of musculoskeletal injury for at least 6 months prior to the study.
• No consumption of performance-enhancing supplements or medication for at least 6 months prior to the study.
• No consumption of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant supplements for at least 6 months prior to the study.
• No participation in exercise including eccentric muscle contractions for at least 3 days prior to the study.

You may not qualify if:

• Recent history of musculoskeletal injury.
• Consumption of performance-enhancing supplements and medication.
• Consumption of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant supplements (\> 6 months).
• Participation in exercise including eccentric muscle contractions during the last 3 days prior to the study.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Thessaly: lead

Study Sites (1)

SmArT LABORATORY, SCHOOL OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION & SPORTS SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF THESSALY

Trikala, 42100, Greece

Location

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 26, 2019
• First Posted: May 2, 2019
• Study Start: April 25, 2019
• Primary Completion: May 15, 2019
• Study Completion: May 30, 2019
• Last Updated: January 2, 2020

Record last verified: 2019-04

Locations

GR (1)