Acemannan

Description

Acemannan Hydrogel was marketed in the US as a wound healing agent for the care of ulcers, burns and post-surgical incisions. Acemannan is a complex water soluble polymanno- galacto acetate isolated from Aloe vera by alcohol precipitation and purified by filtration to limit the size of the polysaccharide polymers. Pharmacological studies demonstrated immunostimulatory activity through the activation of monocytes and macrophages triggering enhanced secretion of cytokines such as interferon, interleukins, TNF-alpha, GM-CSF and some prostaglandins. It was proposed that the adjuvant activity of this agent could be partly related to its ability to induce phenotypic and functional maturation of immature dendritic cells. In normal healthy males, acemannan administered orally up to 3200 mg/day for 6 days did not show any acute oral toxicity. Acemannan is currently undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of AIDS.

Originator

Carrington Laboratories (US)

Uses

Antiviral; immunomodulator.

Uses

Acemannan is an polysaccharide found in the leaves of Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) plant, and is used in a variety of Aloe Vera products.

brand name

Carraklenz Wound &Skin Cleanser (Carrington); Carrisyn (Carrington); Snow & Sun Sports Gel (Carrington).

Veterinary Drugs and Treatments

Veterinary acemannan injection is labeled for use in dogs or cats as an aid in the treatment (i.e., surgery) and clinical management of fibrosarcoma. It has been used to treat FeLV, FIV, and FIP infections in cats but clinical efficacy has not been adequately proven by controlled clinical studies. It reportedly has been used in horses, but no specific information on this was located.