AMERICAN SCIENCES
The compounds

Acemannan

Acetylated polymannose · aloe vera inner leaf

Often described as one of nature's most powerful immune-optimizing molecules: roughly 95% mannose, a profile remarkably similar to the immune-supporting polysaccharides found in human breast milk.

A translucent fillet of aloe inner-leaf gel beside its trimmed green rind
Backbone
β-(1,4)-linked acetylated polymannose
Composition
Roughly 95% mannose
Stability window
24–48 hours after harvest
Patents
30+ US, from the original stabilization work
Why molecular weight matters

One molecule, three chain lengths, three jobs.

Acemannan occurs naturally in chains of different sizes, and each size does something different. This is the mechanism the dossier sets out.
  1. SmallAbsorption and communicationSmall chains are absorbed through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream, where they supply the mannose essential for proper cell-to-cell communication.
  2. 50–400 kDaImmune activationMedium chains target the immune system by activating macrophages, the body's defense and repair regulators. That activation helps modulate inflammation and regulate T-cell function by balancing Th1 and Th2 cells.
  3. >400 kDaPrebiotic supportLarge chains act as a prebiotic, feeding friendly gut bacteria. Those bacteria ferment Acemannan into short-chain fatty acids, which nourish the colon lining and help form a protective barrier.
Part two

The stabilization challenge

Acemannan is extremely fragile. Once an aloe leaf is harvested, the molecules begin to degrade within 24 to 48 hours. If they aren't stabilized inside that window, the molecule loses its ability to influence the immune system.

As a result, an estimated 99% of commercial aloe products contain little to no stabilized Acemannan. That is the difference between an ingredient list and an active quantity, and it is the reason this one is stated on the label.

History and regulatory status

Thirty patents, and a definition of a drug.

Pharmacologists first identified Acemannan and developed the original stabilization process, work that led to more than 30 U.S. patents. Carrington Labs alone invested over $100 million establishing its safety and efficacy. The USDA approved Acemannan as a veterinary immunostimulant: in small animals, in poultry, and for topical wound care.

In 1993, the FDA declined a new drug application for human use. The decision came down to how a drug is defined: a drug must alter disease physiology. Acemannan was considered non-toxic precisely because it supports and enhances normal physiology rather than altering it.

Key impacts in the research

What the macrophage activation is associated with.

Research suggests that Acemannan's activation of macrophages may help enhance stem-cell production, with studies reporting increases of 300%–400%; the body's production of glutathione, by as much as 50%; and the immune system's ability to detect and clear infected cells.*

Where you will find it

In every American Sciences formula.

Note on statements marked with an asterisk: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Research described on this page reflects published studies of the individual ingredients.