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

Authors: Shani J (1,2) , Barak S (1,2) , Levi D (1,2) , Ram M (1,2) , Schachner ER (2,3) , Schlesinger T (2,4) , Robberecht H (2,4) , van Grieken R (2,4) , Avrach WW (2,5)

Affiliations:

(1) Dept. of Pharmacology, The Hebrew University School of Pharmacy (2) Dept. of Dermatology, Hadassah-University Hospital (3) Asaf Harofe Hospital (4) Soreq Nuclear Research Center (5) Dept. Chemistry, University of Antwerp (UIA)

Source: Pharmacol Res Commun. 1985 Jun;17(6):501-12.

Language: English Countries: Not specified Location: Dead Sea Correspondence address: Not specified

Keywords

Article 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.

Find it online