Investigation of healing effects of thermal spring mud on experimentallyinduced atopic dermatitis in mice

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic and recurrent skin disease that develops as a result of hyperimmune disorders and its incidence is increasing especially in industrialized countries. This study was conducted to determine the therapeutic efficacy of Afyokarahisar thermal spring water and mud in AD. For this purpose, 40 Albino mice of the same daily age were used. In order to cause AD, all rats were treated with 2% 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene after de-epilation in the dorsal region. After AD formation, for a 21-day treatment period, the mice were equally divided into two groups to form the control (CG) and study groups. While the CG mice were given tap water daily and bathed in tap water, the SG mice were given fresh Süreyya I Spa Spring water daily and bathed in this water. In the SG mice, after each bath, lesion areas were treated with hot spring mud from the same source. Measurements of clinical, hematological, blood biochemical parameters and histopathological examination of the lesion tissue were performed in all animals before the study, after AD formation and on days 1, 7, 14 and 21 after treatment. As a result of the findings; there was no significant difference between the mean body temperature, while significant differences were observed in the mean pulsation and respiration rates (p <0.05), while the most important increases in time periods in the group and in-group comparisons were observed in SG animals. WBC, NOTR, MON, EOS and MCV levels increased significantly (p <0.05) after AD formation, whereas RBC, HG, HCT, LENF, MCH and MCHC levels decreased significantly (p <0.05). When the averages of both groups were compared in terms of the measurements made in all time periods, WBC, NOTR, MON, EOS and MCV levels decreased while increases in RBC, HG, HCT, LENF, MCH and MCHC levels were observed and these differences were different between all time periods and groups. It was observed that statistically significant (p <0.05). AST, LDH, GGT, OCT and IgE levels of biochemical parameters were significantly increased (p <0.05) and decreased significantly (p<0.05) in the measurements following atopic dermatitis compared to the pre-study period. After treatment, it was observed that TP, ALB and GLU levels increased significantly in SG animals, whereas AST, LDH, GGT, OCT and IgE levels decreased. In the comparisons at the end of the 21st day, which is the last day of treatment; in the CG animals treated with tap water, tissue deformations due to AD were still present, necrosis foci were found with severe inflammation, whereas in the SG animals treated with spa water, the AD case improved and epithelial tissue showed a normal structure. When the results are evaluated as a whole; it was concluded that AD were improved in mice treated with Süreyya I Spa Spring water and mud, and therefore, the use of this water and mud in the treatment of AD was indicated.