Effects of Serial Bathing an Immunological Parameters Using Hot Spring Water of High Temperature and Strong Acidity

Journal/Book: Z. Phys. Med. Baln. Med. Klim. 17 (1988) 327-328. 1988;

Abstract: Department of Internat Medicine Kusatsu Branch Hospital Gunma University School of Medicine (Japan) There is a traditional type of bathing in Kusatsu spa Japan which is characterized by serial bathing using a hot spring water of extremely high temperature and strong acidity. The serial bathing has been known to be therapeutically effective for immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis psoriasis vulgaris and so forth. Thus to clarify the immunological effects of serial bath-ing in this hot spring water changes of the Subsets and reativities to mitogens of the peripheral blond lymphocyte (PBL) during serial bathing were investigated. Subjects and methods Subjects were five males and two females ranging from24 to 67 years old (mean of 49). A single bath was taken for three min using a hot spring water (aluminium calciumsulphate and chloride spring water containing iron[II] and hydrogen sulphide) of high temperature (47°C) and strong acidity (pH of 1.4). Subjects took a bath three times a day during 21 days. Subsets of T-cells were determined using OKT-monoclonal antibodies and reactions to mitogens (PHA and Con A) using ethidium bromide method. Results PBL was slightly but significantly increased an the fourth to seventh day of the serial bathing and then tended to decrease. T-cells also showed similar change to PBL during the 21 days of the serial bathing. Helper/inducer T-cells were increased an the seventh day of the serialbathing and thereafter slightly but significantly de-creased. Meanwhile suppressor/cytotoxic T-cells showed no significant change. Thereafter OKT 4/8 ratio was increased in the initial period and showed a significant decrease by the 21st day as illustrated in Fig. 1. Both reactivities to PHA and Con A decreased significantly from the prebathing by the l4th day alter the end of the serial bathing though they showed no evident tendency during the actual series as indicated in Table 1. However the decrease of these Parameters after the serial bathing was not so remarkably observed in females as in males. Summary The serial bathing using the hot spring water (47°C) with strong acidity (pH of 1.4) was carried out with healthy subjects and the following results were obtained. 1) PBL was slightly increased in the initial period and thereafter tended to decrease. T-cells also showed similar change to PBL. 2) Helper/suppressor ratio (OKT 4/8) was similarly increased in the initial period and showed a significant decrease in the final period. 3) Both reactions to PHA and Con A of PBL decreased significantly from the prebathing alter the end of the serial bathing though these Parameters showed no evident tendency during the 21 days of the actual series. ___MH

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