Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based quantification of hydroxyanthracene derivatives in Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. gel commercial beverages and preliminary safety evaluation through in vitro genotoxicity studies

Abstract

Estimating the hydroxyanthracene derivative (HAD) concentrations and assessing the genotoxicity of several marketed Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. gel beverages are the goals of this study. The results showed that five commercial samples contained aloin A at concentrations ranging from 6.05 to 337.98 ng/mL and aloin B at concentrations ranging from 8.84 to 346.89 ng/mL. Four commercial samples contained aloin A and B in concentration higher than 1 ppm, while one sample contained less than 1 ppm. Aloe-emodin was detected in three samples with concentrations ranging from 80.30 to 109.40 ng/mL. Different strains of bacteria were used to perform the Ames test on the samples with the lowest and highest HAD concentrations, and no signs of mutagenicity were found in experiments with samples that increased in concentration (0.0016–5 μL/mL). In accordance with published data and in contrast to findings acquired using products containing A. vera latex, which is rich in HADs and whose genotoxicity is extensively proven, even the sample with the highest concentrations of aloin A and B does not show any in vitro genotoxicity, suggesting the importance to standardize the operating procedures to obtain A. vera gel to minimize the content of HADs in the commercial formulations.