Abstract
Background Sulphur mineral waters may have anti-inflammatory effects on human skin. We evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of Leopoldine spa water, a salso-sulphate water (Table 1), on human skin tested with sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS).
Patients and methods Ten healthy, Caucasian volunteers 28-53 years old were enrolled in this study. SLS was tested on the right arm, in two concentrations (0.5% and 1%) dissolved in both double-distilled nonpyrogenic water and Leopoldine spa water in four separate test tubes; 0.02 mL, of each solution was applied via the testing apparatus (Vand der Bend chambers, four squares measuring I x I cm), which was fixed and remained in contact with the skin surface.
The anti-inflammatory effect was measured via the variations of redness (chromometry, parameter a*), using a Minolta CR 200 chromometer. Results At base condition the values of a* of the areas that were tested ranged from 7.11 to 9.30 with a mean of 7.97.
In regard to the reaction caused by SLS dissolved in double-distilled water, the values of a* ranged from 8.98 to 9.53, mean 9.24, for 0.5% SLS and from 12.81 to 14.33, mean 13.59, for 1% SLS. The a* values for the cutaneous reaction caused by SLS dissolved in Leopoldine spa water ranged from 7.22 to 9.60 (mean 8.20) for 0.5% SLS and from 10.8 to 12.36 (mean 11.68) for the 1% SLS.
Conclusions These data show the potential anti-inflammatory effects of Leopoldine mineral water on human skin affected by modest inflammatory reactions caused by the direct application of the chemical irritant SLS. Leopoldine spa water can, thus, be considered a natural therapeutic alternative for the treatment of inflammatory skin conditions.