Medical Hydrology Research Articles

Maxime Durand-Fardel (1815–1899), auteur du premier mémoire sur le suicide de l’enfant, paru dans les Annales Médico-Psychologiques en 1855

Since its creation in 1843, the Annales Médico-Psychologiques has reported on works or studies about insanity under different headings: memoirs, bibliography, French and foreign journals, and minutes of meetings of learned societies. In its second issue, the Annales Médico-Psychologiques reported on the first work on cerebral anatomical pathology by Charles Louis-Maxime Durand-Fardel (1815–1899). In 1845, it pointed out his Traité du ramollissement du cerveau (1843) and published one of his observations about a case of hypochondria (1852). Maxime Durand-Fardel was an extern in medicine (1834), then an intern (1836) and a Doctor of Medicine (1840). The same year he became a Doctor of Medicine, he was the first to describe a case of cholangiocarcinoma. He was a pioneer in vascular neurology; he described for the first time the “cribrosum status” following a chronic compromise of cerebral circulation (1842). For four years, Durand-Fardel worked as a country doctor practicing general medicine and minor surgery in Châtillon-sur-Loing (Loiret). In 1848, he published a series of original works on medical hydrology. He founded the Society of Hydrology and Medical Climatology (1853) and taught at the École pratique de la Faculté de médecine de Paris, where he taught a course on mineral waters and chronic diseases (1856–1876). In 1854, he was a member of a number of learned societies (The Anatomical Society, the Medical Observation Society, the Medical Society of Paris, the Medical-surgical Society of Paris, the Medical Society of the 10th Arrondissement of Paris, the Societies of Medical Sciences of Lille, Lyon, Bordeaux, Nancy, Leipzick and a corresponding member of the Imperial Academy of Medicine) and worked as a medical inspector of the springs of Hauterive in Vichy (Allier). In the same year, he published his Traité clinique et pratique des maladies des vieillards (A Clinical and Practical Treatise on Diseases of the Elderly), following in the footsteps of the great clinicians of the nineteenth century who devoted scientific work to senile pathology (Canstatt, Pinel, Prus, Rostan). He was an erudite doctor, musician and watercolorist, and he was interested in the study of history and the Italian language, becoming fascinated by Dante Alighieri. He translated and commented the Divine Comedy. On March 19, 1899, Durand-Fardel died in Paris. In addition to having a predilection for anatomical-pathological studies and medical hydrology, Durand-Fardel was the first to publish, in France and abroad, a memoir in the Annales Médico-Psychologiques dealing with suicide in children in 1855. The publication of this monograph marks the groundbreaking role played by the Annales Médico-Psychologiques, a pioneering French journal of psychiatry founded in 1843 and the official bulletin of the Société Médico-Psychologique since 1852, in the emergence of a discipline – infant and juvenile psychiatry – which would not see the light of day until 1842.

Are There Benefits from Thermal Bacteria for Health? The Hydrogenome Role

In recent years, natural thermal mineral waters have been gaining the special attention of the scientific community, namely in the prevention and treatment of some diseases, due to the microbial properties that exist in these habitats. The aim of this work was to characterize the physicochemical composition and the microbial taxonomic communities present in three thermal waters of the Galician region in Spain and two samples of the northern region in Portugal. These collected water samples were analyzed for physicochemical characterization and the respective hydrogenome of the waters using next generation sequencing together with 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The sequencing showed a high diversity of microorganisms in all analyzed waters; however, there is a clear bacterial predominance of Proteobacteria phylum, followed by Firmicutes, Deinococcus-Thermus, Aquificae and Nitrospira. The main physicochemical parameters responsible for the clustering within the Spanish waters were sulfur compounds (SO32− and S2−), CO32− and neutral pH, and in the Portuguese waters were Mg, Ca and Sr, nitrogen compounds (NO3− and NH4+), Na, Rb, conductivity and dry residue. This work will allow for a better understanding of the microbial community’s composition and how these microorganisms interfere in the physicochemical constitution of these waters often associated with medicinal properties. Furthermore, the hydrogenome may be used as an auxiliary tool in the practice of medical hydrology, increasing the likelihood of safe use of these unique water types.

Clinical efficacy of medical hydrology: an umbrella review

The aim of this research was to summarize available scientific evidence on the efficacy of medical hydrology for the management of any health condition. The search was conducted on 26th March 2021, in the following databases: Medline (via PubMed), EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. All relevant literature reviews investigating the clinical efficacy of interventions characterized by the use of natural mineral waters and muds were included. The quality of studies was assessed with the "AMSTAR 2" tool. After article screening, 49 reviews were included in this work. Overall, retrieved scientific evidence suggests that spa therapy is beneficial for patients affected by some specific musculoskeletal conditions, with improvements potentially lasting up to 9 months. Moreover, balneotherapy can be an integrative support for the management of chronic venous insufficiency and some inflammatory skin diseases like psoriasis. The role of spa therapy in rehabilitation appears relevant as well. More limited, although interesting evidence exists for inhalation and hydropinic therapies. Globally, retrieved evidence suggests that, besides individual wellbeing, medical hydrology can be useful for public health. In particular, higher-quality studies seem to support the integrative use of spa-related interventions for conditions like osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, low back pain of rheumatic origin, and chronic venous insufficiency. However, the body of evidence has some limitations and further clinical trials should be designed for each relevant application to consolidate and expand acquired knowledge.

Water-Based Therapies of Bhutan: Current Practices and the Recorded Clinical Evidence of Balneotherapy

Medical water therapy (also called medical hydrology) is practiced worldwide both for relaxation and treatment of diseases. While this practice is still thriving in Bhutan, there is a lack of proper documentation and critical study. Therefore, the current study reports on the water therapies practiced in Bhutan and their health benefits. We used four-stage process: (1) a review of literature on balneotherapy (both traditional textbooks and scientific papers); (2) listing and surveying the hot springs, mineral, and holy spring waters; (3) reviewing the health records of the patients maintained at the traditional hospitals and interviewing traditional physicians and patients about health benefits; and (4) reviewing available literature to identify existing clinical trials data to provide evidence for hydrotherapies. We found three main forms of hydrotherapies are practiced in Bhutan, which comprises herbal bath therapy, balneotherapy, and spiritually empowered waters. The most popular hydrotherapies are herbal bath and hot spring therapies. Herbal bath therapy needs traditional physicians’ prescriptions, while hot springs do not require it. Through field surveys, ten different hot springs (tsha-chu) and 17 medicinal water or mineral springs (sman-chu), and 17 holy spring-waters (sgrub-chu) were identified. In general, medical water therapies are used by the Bhutanese people to treat various ailments, including gastritis, neurological disorders, arthritis, dermatological diseases, and rheumatological and musculoskeletal disorders. Even though a lack of scientific evidence makes it difficult to draw concrete conclusions on their traditionally claimed efficacy and safety, there are clinical evidences documented from other countries.

Anti-inflammatory potential of Portuguese thermal waters

In light of Medical Hydrology, thermal waters (TW) are all-natural mineral waters that emerge inside a thermal resort and have therapeutic applications. Their beneficial effect has been empirically recognized for centuries, being indicated for symptom alleviation and/or treatment of several diseases, almost all associated with inflammation. Indeed, an anti-inflammatory effect has been attributed to many different Portuguese TW but there is no scientific validation supporting this empiric knowledge. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory properties of 14 TW pertaining to thermal centers located in the Central Region of Portugal, and grouped according to their ionic profile. Mouse macrophage cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a Toll-like receptor 4 agonist, were exposed to culture medium prepared in TW. Metabolism, nitric oxide (NO) production, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression levels and the scavenging capacity of TW, were investigated in vitro. 11 out of 14 TW reduced NO production and/or iNOS expression, and/or scavenging activity, in macrophages exposed to LPS. The sulphated/calcic TW did not show any effect on at least one of the inflammatory parameters evaluated. Two sulphurous/bicarbonate/sodic TW and the sulphurous/chlorinated/sodic TW promoted an increase in NO production and/or iNOS expression. Our results validate, for the first time, the anti-inflammatory properties of Portuguese TW, supporting their therapeutic use in the treatment of inflammation-related diseases and promoting their putative application in cosmetic products and medical devices.

Los baños de Carlos III en Trillo. La extensión de la hidroterapia

Con el Real Decreto de 29 de junio de 1816 Fernando VII creaba el Cuerpo de Médicos de Baños. Se ha investigado la historia de este cuerpo y de la hidrología médica en España desde 1816. Los trabajos sobre el periodo anterior no parecen haber prosperado tanto y la iniciativa de Fernando VII pudo aparecer como un "arrebato legislativo". Tomando el caso de los baños de Trillo o "baños de Carlos III", se cuestiona este aspecto. Este caso permite ver en qué consistían las instalaciones de baños en torno a 1780, las obras realizadas, el reglamento y uso de las aguas, los conocimientos en cuanto a su composición y remedios para definidos achaques. También se entiende cómo se siguen estos puntos de desarrollo desde el Gobierno mediante el Consejo de Castilla lo cual, posiblemente, permite comprender mejor cómo esta situación prepara el Real Decreto de 29 de junio de 1816.

Hydrology, rheumatology, and rehabilitation: the campaigning of Fortescue Fox.

Soon after qualification, Fortescue Fox (1858-1940) began practice in a Scottish spa where he acquired a lifelong interest in chronic disorders, especially arthritis. He worked to improve the status of spa medicine, recasting it as medical hydrology. At the start of the First World War, his interests turned to the handling of war casualties and a seminal work on physical treatment and rehabilitation was published in 1916. He set up a physical treatment clinic for damaged soldiers and co-founded a residential community where such treatment could be coupled with paid work in rural crafts. After the war Fox was a founder and president of the International League against Rheumatism and helped establish a groundbreaking outpatient clinic from which academic rheumatology in the UK developed. Yet he is not seen as a founding father of British rheumatology, having been on the losing side of an argument about the focus of the specialty. In medical rehabilitation he does have that honour.

Wound Healing Activity of Nanoclay/Spring Water Hydrogels.

Background: hydrogels prepared with natural inorganic excipients and spring waters are commonly used in medical hydrology. Design of these clay-based formulations continues to be a field scarcely addressed. Safety and wound healing properties of different fibrous nanoclay/spring water hydrogels were addressed. Methods: in vitro biocompatibility, by means of MTT assay, and wound healing properties were studied. Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy was used to study the morphology of fibroblasts during the wound healing process. Results: all the ingredients demonstrated to be biocompatible towards fibroblasts. Particularly, the formulation of nanoclays as hydrogels improved biocompatibility with respect to powder samples at the same concentration. Spring waters and hydrogels were even able to promote in vitro fibroblasts motility and, therefore, accelerate wound healing with respect to the control. Conclusion: fibrous nanoclay/spring water hydrogels proved to be skin-biocompatible and to possess a high potential as wound healing formulations. Moreover, these results open new prospects for these ingredients to be used in new therapeutic or cosmetic formulations.

Pollin’air : un réseau de citoyens au service des personnes allergiques

Pollin’air is a citizen network of observers of plants bearing allergenic pollens. The aim is to enable people with allergies to receive real-time and location-based notifications in the event of release of allergenic pollens. It was initiated in July 2016 thanks to the partnership between Air Lorraine (which became Atmo Grand Est in 2017), the Regional Observatory of Health and Social Affairs in Lorraine (which became ORS Grand Est in 2018), the laboratory of medical hydrology and climatology at the Nancy Faculty of Medicine, the Jean-Marie Pelt Botanical Garden (Villers-lès-Nancy), the Lorraine Regional Health Agency (now ARS Grand Est), the Regional Union of Pharmacists of Lorraine Health Professionals (now URPS Pharmacists Grand Est), and the Metropolitan Area of Greater Nancy. Pollin’air is a participatory citizen network that connects volunteer sentinels, who observe the pollination of allergenic plant species, with allergic subjects via a digital platform. Using the information provided by the former, these subjects can rapidly adjust their behavior, thus reducing the health effects associated with pollination periods. Further, health professionals can adjust their diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. The phenological observation of 25 allergenic species (flowering, pollination, end of pollination) is carried out by pollen sentinels in Lorraine, France. Real-time and geolocated information is collated on an interactive map on the www.pollinair.fr website. Allergic subjects can receive personalized alerts based on their allergy and their geographical location. Through Pollin’air it is possible to acquire extensive phenological data. It provides qualitative and geolocated information specific to different plant species. Important geographical variations in pollination are highlighted within the territory, over a period of up to 1 month for artemisia. Analysis of pollen information recorded by the 3 monitoring tools used in Nancy, France, shows that the phenological watch performed at the botanical garden provided the earliest information 6 times out of 14, compared with 5 times out of 14 for the Pollin’air network and 3 times out of 14 for the National Network of Aerobiological Surveillance (RNSA). The satisfaction surveys conducted with sentinels and allergic subjects attest to the fact that participants have acquired knowledge in terms of both botany and allergies, and that 9 out of 10 allergic subjects endorse the proposal to adapt their behavior and their treatment to new pollen developments. This participatory network has created collective and intergenerational dynamics around the public health issue of pollen allergy, bringing together health professionals, botanists, air experts, local authorities and citizens.

Balneary SPA Resort Itaipulandia

The term “natural therapeutic factor” (NTF) has similar denominations (local / physical curative / medicinal / healing / remedy resource / product / agent), when international publications related it to the sectors: health, wellness, tourism, recreation, salutogenic place, resort, SPA, sanatorium, nature bioactives, traditional or complementary alternative medicines (CAM), thermal medicine, medical hydrology, balneology or climatology, geomedicine, naturopathy, among others. The NTF can be considered environments or resources from preserved nature, with biological active components, were controlled exposure at short term local visitations improve or maintain functioning, minimise or prevent disabilities, benefits well-being or health and including many medicine practices, therapies interventions or holistic approaches. Certain traditional health resort medicine countries (Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia and Czech Republic) endue specific legislation on NTF rational exploitation, health-promotion potential, protection and patrimony/heritage value. Also, they are the basis to differentiate between several types of SPAs, bath centers and resorts on the European market. Thus, may guide related business, establishments services and infrastructure projects, destinations marketing strategy development, tourist attractiveness or facilities and therapy/medicine bioactivity foundations. Several studies cite these activities sustainability, enhancing the economy, preserving nature and improving wellness and health to the visitors and to the residents at destinations. Therefore, the scientific research about local NTF is highly recommended in places like this case study: Balneary SPA Resort Itaipulandia City, Parana State, Brazil. The methodology here applied starts through the keywords and NTF related sectors literature review in the digital databases. Then, with selected publications NTF related types, classifications, properties and indications; possible targets are locally prospected and evaluated by local personal observations and bibliography about this place.

Balneology: heading toward the future

In the last few years, Thermal spas are the living witnesses of the difficulties found in a large part of the Portuguese population that have no means of attending health treatments with no reimbursement. Despite the difficulties, balneotherapy persists as treatment for numerous pathologies showing its importance in the improvement of a better quality of life. Hydrology, although considered by some to be complementary, is also millenarian. Unfortunately, the non-acceptance by colleagues of numerous specialties that could interact with medical hydrology is a reality. It is up to those who work in this area to affirm Hydrology as a valid mean of treatment. There are worldwide strategies also applied in Portugal, namely: • Pre- and post-graduate education in order to promote knowledge and skills • Development of clinical, administrative and normative procedures with the elaboration of the Manual de Boas Praticas”. • Cooperation between associations of balneology of different nationalities. • Research with well conducted studies. This item is of outmost importance to achieve an evidence-based and not just a medicine based on empiricism. • Health Tourism is an area of imminent exploration that should not be underutilized • Spreading the word: Crenotherapy is an effective treatment for a number of conditions. The target public and the authorities responsible for health subsystems must be aware of those facts. There are a number of European countries where thermal treatments are reimbursed by the State. Portugal as regained the possibility of reimbursement in the current year, although it has not been applied for the moment. The strategies applied are producing their effects. Social Thermalism is under way again. The accreditation of balneotherapy to the medical class cannot be delayed or forgotten. The disclosure of the target public should be accurate and clarifying. The resilience of thermal resorts deserves continuous effort from all sectors involved. The future of balneotherapy must be defended, in order not to be drowned in the turbulent waters of the recent past that has governed it.

Therapeutic benefits of the medical hydrology in the disease of the nervous system

The XX century it filled from splendor to the medicine with the revitalizacion and the resurgence of the Centers Thermal calls also called spas and that significantly the systems of health have created the bases for the development of a highly beneficial medicine and of very low cost, this way the Medical Hydrology with their waters mineromedicinales, the mire mineromedicinal, the climate, the seawater among other, acquires a considerable relevance again, everything added it to the importance that they are acquiring the preventive therapies and of promotion, with that which people don't only go to the Thermal Centers to receive a very established rehabilitation program, and to recover of pathologies, but to prevent them and to be liberated of the physical and psychic load of with a lot of estres, that generates the current life, being pointed out, therefore, as an important line in the public health of many countries in the current moments. Among their many very grateful results they are the affectations of the Nervous System so much Central as outlying as for example meningomielorradiculitis, epidemic poliomyelitis, meningoencefalitis, aracnoiditis, encephalitis, traumas of the spinal marrow and their membranes, radiculitis, polirradiculoneuritis, plexitis, neuritis, neuralgias and neurofibromiositis, parkinson in non-severe forms and anothers.

Creation of the First “Health and Wellness Tourism Chair” in Latin America and Caribbean and the new International Magazine “Wellness Destiny”

The FEMTEC further reinforces its important role of international professional training and updated information through its actions in Latin America and the Caribbean with the creation in Cuba of the first and of the region and with the new Magazine International Wellness Destiny” in collaboration with the company Solymed. Digital magazine edited by professional journalists, in English and Spanish, where the novel and updated disclosure has all the ingredients to mix action with pleasure and communicate spaces where beauty, health and quality of life are the hosts. The of Health and will be the only one of these characteristics existing in America and the Caribbean and is created with strong institutional and professional support with the aim of contributing to the study and development in these sectors with training and scientific programs and new methods of activities and new business innovation tools. Professionals with recognized international experience in Medical Hydrology, Health Tourism, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Welfare, Economy, Organization and Management of services, Marketing and other related specialties will participate in the Chair of Health and Tourism fruit of an important scientific-technical collaboration between the Ministry of Public Health, the University of Medical Sciences of Havana, National Direction of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the Cuban Society of Medical Hydrology and the FEMTEC. The scope of action of the is international and includes teaching activities, research, occupational training, postgraduate studies, dissemination, business opportunities, business innovation, projection and promotion, international collaborations, new challenges and future perspectives related to these new segments of the generating market of various specialized alternatives, wealth, employment and that complements and enhances conventional tourism products. The updated and professional information through the digital magazine Destiny and the international training activities, propose the training of the sector at a regional level, from an area known for its uncontaminated beaches, nature, enviable climate, historical and cultural heritage, thermal waters, good health system and high professional level recognized worldwide, to consolidate as a reference in health tourism and quality wellness destination.

FEMTEC –ISMH An "old" collaboration for a modern concept of balneology applied to health and well being

FEMTEC –ISMH An "old" collaboration for a modern concept of balneology applied to health and well being

Lifestyle Medicine and Thermal Medicine

In the 2013 the concept of Thermal Medicine was declared in the Congress of St Petersburg, introducing a new era that united the Balneotherapy and Education to improve the healthy life expectancy of the population. Over the last decades society has increasingly become more aware of the impact of a healthy lifestyle in prevention. Individuals are starting to understand that a healthy lifestyle is not a selfish attitude but an altruistic one, as it reduces the future impact on your family and society. The potential impact of Thermal Clinics in this field is huge. As Doctors, our mission is to inform and educate patients on how to design a healthy lifestyle. As Thermal Clinics, we have all the tools to create the biggest network of Health Schools, designing ongoing education programs with concentrated kick-off and follow up weeks. Our goal should be to unite Balneotherapy with Lifestyle Medicine, a branch of evidence-based medicine in which integral lifestyle changes are used (including nutrition, physical activity, stress management, social support and environmental exposures) to prevent, treat and reverse the progression of chronic diseases by addressing their underlying causes. Lifestyle Medicine interventions include health risk assessments, advice on behavioral changes that affect health, and the clinical application of lifestyle modifications. Lifestyle medicine is an interdisciplinary field of internal medicine, psychosocial and neuroscience, public and environmental health, and biology. The key principles of Lifestyle Medicine include prevention strategies that address lifestyle habits, underlying biological causes and the pathophysiologies common to Lifestyle Related Illnesses (eg, systemic inflammation, dysregulated stress disorder, metabolic dysfunction, etc.). As such, Lifestyle Medicine is an expanded form of treatment that helps unite the best aspects of public health and conventional clinical medicine. We believe that Lifestyle Medicine is of great interest to Thermal Clinic patients and therefore its educational programs should be introduced as part of the thermal. This year the Spanish Society of Lifestyle Medicine was founded with the Spanish Society of Medical Hydrology as a founding member.

Correlation between Lifestyle Medicine and Balneotherapy

As Doctors, our mission is to inform and educate patients on how to design a healthy lifestyle . From the 2013 the concept of Thermal Medicine declared in the Congress of St Petersburg, introducing the Balneotherapy and Education to improve the healthy life expectancy of the population. It is very important to unite Balneotherapy with Lifestyle Medicine, a branch of evidence-based medicine in which integral lifestyle changes are used including nutrition, physical activity, stress management, social support and environmental exposures to prevent, treat and reverse the progression of chronic diseases The new Lifestyle medicine is an interdisciplinary field of internal medicine, psychosocial and neuroscience, public and environmental health, and biology. Iinclude health risk assessments, advice on behavioral changes that affect health, and the clinical application of lifestyle modifications... Actual society has increasingly become more aware of the impact of a healthy lifestyle in prevention. The persons are starting to understand that a healthy lifestyle is not a selfish attitude but an altruistic one, as it reduces the future impact on your family and society. In de modern Thermal Clinics, we have all the tools to create the biggest network of Health Schools. The potential impact of Thermal Clinics in this field is huge, designing ongoing education programs with concentrated kick-off and follow up weeks. Lifestyle Medicine include prevention strategies that ad-dress lifestyle habits, underlying biological causes and the pathophysiologies common to Lifestyle Related Illnesses, systemic inflammation, dysregulated stress disorder, metabolic dysfunction, etc. Lifestyle Medicine is an expanded form of treatment that helps unite the best aspects of public health and conventional clinical medicine. In our opinion Lifestyle Medicine is of great interest to Thermal Clinic patients and therefore its educational programs should be introduced as part of the thermal. This year the Spanish Society of Lifestyle Medicine was founded with the Spanish Society of Medical Hydrology as a founding member.

Report of ISMH: International Society of Medical Hydrology and Climatology

Report of ISMH: International Society of Medical Hydrology and Climatology

Medical Hydrology Journals

Medical Journals play an important role in the diffusion of knowledge. Medical Hydrology Journals are not an exception. In this communication we analyze what is the state of the communication of knowledge in Health Resort Medicine. We will organize the work in two parts: first, with the analysis of the specific Medical Hydrology journals, which according to the repositories and antiquity are: Voprosy kurortologii, fizioterapii, i lechebnoĭ fizicheskoĭ kultury (Russia); La Presse thermale et climatique (France); Boletin de la Sociedad Espanola de Hidrologia Medica (Spain); La Clinica Termale (Italy); Balneo Research Journal (Romania); The Journal of The Japanese Society of Balneology, Climatology and Physical Medicine (Japan) and Acta Balneologica (Poland). And second, with the search of the publications written by Health Resort Medicine researchers (ISMH). For this we have used the bibliographic repositories PubMed, Scopus and Journal Citation Reports in the last five years and by order of mayor to minor score: International Journal of Biometeorology; Applied Clay Science, Rheumatology International; Israel Medical Association Journal; Journal of Environmental Protection and Ecology; PM & R: the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitation; Gaceta Sanitaria; Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine; Clinical Rheumatology; European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine; Bulletin de l'Academie Nationale de Medecine; European Journal of Integrative Medicine; Nutricion Hospitalaria; Revue du Rhumatisme Monographies; As well as twenty-two publications with a single article such as Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine; American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases; British Journal of Cancer; European Journal of Cancer; Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine; Vasa - European Journal of Vascular Medicine, etc.

Sulphurous Mineral Waters: New Applications for Health.

Sulphurous mineral waters have been traditionally used in medical hydrology as treatment for skin, respiratory, and musculoskeletal disorders. However, driven by recent intense research efforts, topical treatments are starting to show benefits for pulmonary hypertension, arterial hypertension, atherosclerosis, ischemia-reperfusion injury, heart failure, peptic ulcer, and acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. The beneficial effects of sulphurous mineral waters, sulphurous mud, or peloids made from sulphurous mineral water have been attributed to the presence of sulphur mainly in the form of hydrogen sulphide. This form is largely available in conditions of low pH when oxygen concentrations are also low. In the organism, small amounts of hydrogen sulphide are produced by some cells where they have numerous biological signalling functions. While high levels of hydrogen sulphide are extremely toxic, enzymes in the body are capable of detoxifying it by oxidation to harmless sulphate. Hence, low levels of hydrogen sulphide may be tolerated indefinitely. In this paper, we review the chemistry and actions of hydrogen sulphide in sulphurous mineral waters and its natural role in body physiology. This is followed by an update of available data on the impacts of exogenous hydrogen sulphide on the skin and internal cells and organs including new therapeutic possibilities of sulphurous mineral waters and their peloids.

Spanish "Bilbilis" Foundation for research and innovation in medical hydrology and hydrotherapy.

Introduction: Bilbilis Foundation (BF) created in December, 2007 is the first Spanish Foundation on Medical Hydrology (MH) and Balneotherapy providing the largest funding to research projects in Medical Hydrology, Rehabilitation and Geriatrics. The consultant team includes a wide range of specialists in different bio-areas, interested in medicinal waters, hydration and ageing. Objective: To link basic research with daily clinical practice in Medical Hydrology, promoting National & International research projects with the objective of new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, promoting quality in the clinical setting, concern about economic impact and medical results of Hydration and Hydrothermal therapies. Including these working fields: Rehabilitation, Nutrition, Geriatrics and Cosmetic Medicine. Lecturing and training program activities, teaching other medical professionals through organization of seminars and conferences. Method: Financial support and scholarship on Medical Hydrology and Pelotherapy. Biannual Research Awards and Grants. Promotion and scientific support to young researchers. Publications: “Pelotherapy: medical and cosmetics applications of thermal muds”. Patents. Results: Presentation of main research pelotherapy projects developed during the last 5 years. Website presentation and development. Access to Bibliographic Database: about 9,500 Medical hydrology references (Evidence Based Medicine). Collaborative agreements. Development of research methods on Medical Hydrology, Pelotherapy and ageing. Conclusion: BILBILIS FOUNDATION would like to establish new collaborative agreements with other scientific organizations and researchers in Medical Hydrology & Hydration. Study of ageing process and therapeutic approaches to prevent it.