Fresh leaf skin aqueous and methanolic extracts as well as shade-dried leaf skin methanolic extracts prepared separately from the leaves of Aloe vera and aloe emodin (AE) were assayed on human gastric (AGS), colon (HT-29, HCT116) and hepatocellular (HEPG2) cancer cell lines relative to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). AE, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and imatinib (IM) were tested as positive controls. Among the four extracts studied, A. vera gel extract (AVG) had the highest cytotoxic effect on cancer cells, with the highest effect on HCT116 cells, while no cytotoxic effect on HUVEC cells was detected. AE has also selective cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on the cancer cells and was ineffective on normal cells. AVG treatment in HCT116 cells induced the apoptosis by the activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3. According to our results, AVG and AE could be proposed as promising cytotoxic drugs from natural origin. Rezumat Extractele apoase și metanolice ale frunzelor proaspete, precum și extractele metanolice ale frunzelor uscate de Aloe vera și aloe emodin (AE) au fost analizate pe linii celulare canceroase gastrice (AGS), de colon (HT-29, HCT116) și hepatocelulare (HEPG2) față de celulele endoteliale ale venei ombilicale umane (HUVEC). AE, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) și imatinib (IM) au fost martori pozitivi. Dintre cele patru extracte studiate, extractul de A. vera gel (AVG) a prezentat efect citotoxic superior asupra celulelor canceroase, în special asupra celulelor HCT116, și nici un efect citotoxic asupra celulelor HUVEC. AE are, de asemenea, efecte selective citotoxice și apoptotice asupra celulelor canceroase. Tratamentul cu AVG asupra celulelelor HCT116 a indus apoptoza prin activarea caspazei-9 și a caspazei-3. În concluzie, AVG și AE prezintă potențial chimioterapic promițător pentru terapia cancerului.