Investigation of healing effects of Afyonkarahisar region thermal spring water on experimentally-induced nefritis in mice

The prevalence of kidney diseases has increased and continues to increase globally. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of Afyokarahisar Spa waters in the treatment of nephritis. For this purpose, 40 Albino rats of the same daily age were used. Nephritis was induced by adding adenine to the feed at a rate of 0.2% for 6 weeks. After nephritis was induced, for a 21-day treatment period, the mice were equally divided into two groups to form control (CG) and study groups (SG). While the CG mice were given tap water daily and bathed in tap water, the SG were given fresh Süreyya I Spa Spring water daily and bathed in this water. In all animals, clinical, hematological, blood biochemical parameters and histopathological examination of the tissues taken from the lesion area were performed before the study, after nephritis formation and on days 1, 7, 14 and 21 after treatment. In terms of body temperature (T), heart rate (P) and respiratory frequency (R), there were significant differences (p <0.05) with respect to the time periods, after the treatment period, the most important increases in in terms of TT were observed in CG animals, whereas in animals in SG in terms of P and R and the difference was statistically significant (p <0.05). After the formation of nephritis, it was observed that WBC, NOTR and MCV levels increased significantly (p <0.05), whereas RBC, HG, HCT, LENF, MCH and MCHC levels decreased significantly (p <0.05). It was seen that RBC, HG, HCT, LENF, MCH and MCHC levels increased in both KG and WG animals, but these increases were significantly (p <0.05) in SG animals and the highest levels were obtained in SG animals at the last measurements of the study. It was determined that AST, GGT, BUN and IgG levels of blood biochemical parameters were significantly increased (p <0.05) and TP, ALB and GLU levels decreased significantly (p <0.05) in the measurements following the formation of nephritis. By beginingof the treatmen period, in terms of increasing and decreasing parameters, TP, ALB and GLU levels increased, whereas AST, GGT, BUN and IgG levels decreased, and differnces were statistically significant (p <0.05). The difference was found to be statistically significant in SG animals compared to KG animals (p <0.05). pH, partial CO2 pressure (pCO2), base deficit (BE), bicarbonate (HCO3), Ca and K levels decreased as a result of the nephritis formation, whereas lactate (LACT), sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) levels increased. In the comparison between the groups in terms of these increases and decreases paramaters, it was found that there was a tendency towards normalization in both groups, but when compared with CG in terms of recovery rate and amount, it was observed that the highest levels (p <0.05) were achieved in SG animals and these values were normalized. In the comparisons at the end of the 21st day, which is the last day of treatment; nephritis was still observed in the kidney tissue sections of the CG animals treated with tap water, whereas nephritis was improved in the SG animals treated with spa water. When the findings are evaluated as a whole; It was concluded that the water of Süreyya I Spa Spring yielded very successful results in the treatment of nephritis and therefore, it was considered as an option in the treatment of nephritis. Keywords: Afyonkarahisar, balneotherapy, mouse, nephritis, treatment