We prepared a crude gel material from Aloe vera succulent leaf tissues. The ethanolic extract of lyophilized A. vera gel was used for the GC-MS analysis. Hexadecanoic acid (22.22%) was identified as major compound. Sitosterol and stigmasterol were found to be 2.89% and 2.1% in the extract. HPLC analysis was carried out to confirm the presence of stigmasterol. The concentration of sterol extract needed to scavenge DPPH free radical by 50% was calculated as 5.2 mg mL(-1). In the FRAP assay, the sterol extract showed significant hydroxyl radical scavenging in a dose-dependent manner (IC50 value 1.17 µg mL(-1)). Concentration of the sample required to reduce lipid peroxidation was found to be 4.18 µg mL(-1), and the extract also possessed acetylcholinesterase activity (IC50 - 5.26 µg mL(-1)). Catalase activity was 0.196 μM H2 O2 decomposed min(-1) µg(-1) protein, whereas the peroxidase activity was 17.01 μM of pyragallol oxidized min(-1) µg(-1) protein. The extract recorded higher activity against growth of S. greseus and C. albicans in the experiments carried out to determine antibacterial and antifungal activity, respectively.

The practice of using Aloe vera extract as a herbal medicine basically depend on folklore and by experiences of people over a long period of time. Extensive research, especially in the area of basic biochemical characterization and elucidation of bioactivities has been conducted in a systematic manner. This has resulted in the characterization of many biochemical compounds from Aloe vera, predominantly using the techniques of spectroscopy and chromatography. Many biochemical compounds have been characterized from the Aloe vera using spectroscopy and chromatography techniques. Today, In addition to the well documented wound healing properties of Aloe vera extracts in burns, the antioxidant, antimicrobial and antidiabetic activities were tapped and hence formed the central core of bioactivity research on this plant in recent years. There have been preliminary reports on immune modulatory and other functions. The biochemical compounds and their bioactivity mechanisms from Aloe extracts, compounded by the bottlenecks in large scale cultivation represents a fascinating challenge to near complete exploitation and improvements in this pharmacologically important medicinal plant. This review is an effort to update our current knowledge on this plant based on many recent findings and to review the status for further exploration in pharmacology.

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A. Rapimelt tablet of Lorazepam was prepared by direct compression method using Indion 414, Cross Carmellose Sodium and sodium starch glycolate as superdisintegrants with aim to get rapid onset of action, improve bioavailability and to give pleasant taste and better mouth feel. The tablets prepared were evaluated for various parameters like various density parameters, thickness, hardness, friability, disintegration time, wetting time and invitro dissolution time and were found to be within limits as per Indian Pharmacopoeia. FT-IR spectra of physical mixture of Lorazepam with Indion 414showedretention of basic peaks of Lorazepam. The developed formulation of Lorazepam batch F5 (10% Indion 414) showed good palatability and dispersed within 30 seconds as compared to Crosscarmellose Sodium batches F1-F3 and Sodium starch glycolate batches F6-F9.