Skin penetration of minerals in psoriatics and guinea-pigs bathing in hypertonic salt solutions

J. Shani, S. Barak, D. Levi, M. Ram, E. R. Schachner, T. Schlesinger, H. Robberecht, R. Van Grieken, W. W. Avrach

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79 Scopus citations

Abstract

Penetration of electrolytes through the human skin was measured in healthy volunteers and in psoriatic patients after bathing in the Dead-Sea or in simulated bath-salt solutions. Significant increases in the levels of serum Br, Rb, Ca and Zn were noticed only in the psoriatic patients after daily bathing in the Dead-Sea for a 4-week regimen. Guinea-pigs "bathed" in simulated Dead-Sea bath-salt solutions containing radionuclides of Ca, Mg, K and Br. Traces of each radionuclide were detected in the blood and in some internal organs after 60 minutes of bathing. The radionuclides showed a physiological pattern in their organ distribution. Even though the whole investigation was carried out in hypertonic solutions, there is a definite penetration of salts through healthy (human and guinea-pigs) and damaged (psoriatic) epidermis. This finding suggests that improvement of the psoriatic condition after bathing in the Dead-Sea, may be partly attributed (in addition to ultraviolet irradiation) to the minerals' effect on the psoriatic skin.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)501-512
Number of pages12
JournalPharmacological Research Communications
Volume17
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 1985
Externally publishedYes

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