Aloe Vera Ointment Application and Skeletal Muscle Recovery

NCT ID: NCT03934762

Last Updated: 2020-01-02

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

10 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2019-04-25

Study Completion Date

2019-05-30

Brief Summary

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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.

Detailed Description

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For the purpose of study, ten male participants will be included in a pilot clinical trial.

Initially, participants will undergo a baseline testing including assessment of body height, body mass and body composition, isokinetic evaluation of isometric, concentric and eccentric muscle strength of quadriceps, determination of VO2max, evaluation of DOMS level and resting blood sampling for the measurement of CK. Participants will be also provided with 7-day diet recalls and will be taught by a trained dietitian on how to adjust food/liquid portions and sizes and how to complete diet recalls (1 recall/day over a 7-day period).

After baseline testing, subjects will participate in two trials, in a randomized, double-blind repeated measures design. In the first trial they will execute a bilateral eccentric exercise protocol. Immediately after the exercise protocol and daily for 7 consecutive days, will be applied transdermal treatment with placebo (Control) in one leg and with natural aloe vera (Experimental, aloe vera peel and leaf) in the other. Following a 7-day wash-out period the second trial will be conducted. Participants will execute the same eccentric exercise protocol, but they will be treated with either placebo (Control) or aloe vera soup (Experimental). The selection of the treatment for each leg will be randomly selected. In both trials, assessment of DOMS and strength (isometric, concentric and eccentric) in both legs and blood sampling (for the measurement of CK) will be performed at 1h and 6h post-exercise as well as daily for 7 consecutive days.

Conditions

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Skeletal Muscle Damage Exercise-induced Aseptic Inflammation Performance

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

CROSSOVER

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Participants Investigators

Study Groups

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Placebo

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.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Placebo

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

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

Natural aloe vera

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.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Natural Aloe Vera

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

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

Aloe vera soup

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.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Aloe vera soup

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

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

Interventions

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Placebo

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

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

Natural Aloe Vera

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

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

Aloe vera soup

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

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* 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.

Exclusion Criteria

* 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.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

25 Years

Eligible Sex

MALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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University of Thessaly

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Ioannis G. Fatouros

Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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

Trikala, , Greece

Site Status

Countries

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Greece

Other Identifiers

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ALOE VERA-PILOT STUDY-UTH

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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