In recent months,
there have been increasing concerns regarding the safe
use and effectiveness of herbal additives, such as aloe
vera, in medical exam gloves. The passage of the Dietary
Supplement and Health Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994
by the 103rd Congress has kept the FDA from regulating
dietary supplements, such as herbal additives, as drugs
or food additives.
Hence, users of exam gloves have raised
their concerns regarding these additives. The Adenna's
Clinical Affairs team has researched these issues,
and has released our findings in the following summary.
SUBJECT: Safe Use and
Effectiveness of Aloe Vera Additives in Exam Gloves
SUMMARY
From our research and communications with various
sources including the Aloe Vera Council, we have found
many questions yet to be answered by manufacturers
and distributors regarding their claims of the effectiveness
of aloe vera (aloe) in exam gloves.
Active components of aloe vera are not
positively identified in the end products
The manufacturing process of exam gloves
requires a very high heat through a series of vulcanization
processes in multiple ovens, as well as leaching and
washing process in high temperature water. It is known
that processing aloe with heat will caramelize the
long chain sugar, which is the effective ingredient
in aloe needed for cell regeneration, thus making
the aloe ineffective. Therefore, the added aloe on
exam gloves might not be an effective ingredient at
all if injected during or before these processes.
The "Aloe Vera" Seal issued
by the Aloe Vera Council to a product only signifies
that active raw aloe vera is identified as an ingredient
used in the manufacturing or packaging process of
a product. However, the Council cannot and will not
certify or identify either the presence, or the amount,
or the effectiveness, of active aloe vera in the end
products, such as exam gloves.
Protection of exam glove user might
be compromised
Certain additives may have the potential
to weaken latex or other synthetic materials when
combined with the raw material to manufacture exam
gloves. In addition, a user's body temperature combined
with the additives might trigger other reactions that
may weaken components of the exam gloves.
Therefore, a positive study showing
aloe added in exam gloves will not alter the properties
of latex and other synthetic exam gloves has yet to
be performed, published and produced by the manufacturers
and distributors making claims about medical exam
gloves "containing" aloe vera.
Potential allergic reactions to aloe
additive
Allergenic substances in pesticides
used by some aloe growers can potentially be introduced
to exam glove users and may cause potential allergic
reactions, or multiple complex reactions when combined
with latex or synthetic glove material in the manufacturing
process. A positive study showing that aloe added
in exam gloves, free of all pesticides, or free of
all potential allergic reactions from combining aloe
and the chemicals used in producing gloves has yet
to be published.
Bear in mind, adding aloe in latex exam
gloves does not eliminate or reduce the latex protein
content in the gloves. Therefore, adding aloe in latex
exam gloves does not eliminate or alleviate Type I
and Type IV hypersensitivity associated with latex
products.
CONCLUSION
Raw aloe has been used beneficially for centuries.
Aloe has been used in many hand creams, hand lotions
and hand soaps in hydrated forms to soothe and protect
skin. However, the effectiveness of Aloe in altered
or contaminated forms are unknown. Yet, some experts
showed them to have less effect, no effect, or even
adverse-effects over extended use.
Since scientific results or documented
proofs are not available to support the claims of
effectiveness and safe use of aloe vera in exam gloves,
users might be charged a premium price for these gloves
for unproven claims or "sugar-pill" effect.
Users interested in truly benefiting
from the healing property of aloe vera should consider
traditional and proven delivery forms of the ingredients,
such as gel, cream, lotion, or concentrated liquids.
Additional support documentation to positively identify
the claims of manufacturers should also be obtained
by users before considering exam gloves that contain
herbal additives.
Additional information can be found
in:
"Aloe Vera, A Mission Discovered." By Dr.
Lee Ritter. ISBN:0-9638609-0-9.
International Aloe Science Council at www.iasc.org
VRP Library online at www.vrp.com/library/dshea.htm
Google Newsgroup Search online at www.deja.com
For questions and comments, please e-mail to Adenna
Inc. at askme@adenna.com
*** This material is copyrighted 2001
by Adenna Inc. Reproduction, distribution or inclusion
of any portion of this summary in any form or in any
other publications is strictly prohibited by law without
prior written permission from Adenna Inc. ***
