Kontakt 2012, 14(1):94-98 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2012.011

Humic substances in balneology. Contemporary situation and perspectivesBiomedicine - Original article

Petr Petr^1,*, Miroslav Verner², Hana Kalová¹, Brigita Janečková¹, Olga Vačkářová³, Ivana Zezulková⁴

¹ Pracoviště klinické farmakologie, Nemocnice České Budějovice, a. s.

² Centrální laboratoře, Nemocnice České Budějovice, a. s.

³ Městské slatinné lázně Třeboň, Lázně Aurora, s. r. o.

⁴ Městské slatinné lázně Třeboň, Bertiny lázně Třeboň, s. r. o.

Humic substances (HS), products of the decomposition of organic materials in peloids, present also in extract from them, or synthetically produced, are chemically/phytochemically effective principles of a surprisingly wide scale of beneficial biological effects particularly finding their application in balneology. Peloids (a term derived from the Greek word pelos - mud) are mud-like materials employed in medicine for therapeutic purposes. They are classified depending on contents of humic substances to peats, moors, moor earths and muds. They belong to one of natural medicinal sources recognized by the state. Their highest contents (of above 50%) can be found in peats and moors, the lowest contents being present in muds. Beneficial effects of humic substances have been observed and documented in higher as well as lower organisms. These are anti-rheumatic effects, effects favourably affecting osteoarthrosis, general anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating, biostimulating effects (Jurcsik, 1994), anti-haemocoagulation and fibrinolytic effects, phytoestrogenic effects with considerable potential in dermatology and cosmetology, antiviral effects (Kloecking, Helbig, 2005), anti-cancer effects (Jurcsik, 1994) and last but not least effects on reproductive health. The authors present an outline of this knowledge and attach data on the effects of peloids on the quality of life. The principle of these effects is particularly the ability of humic substances to affect the arachidonic acid cycle. In this way, they come as effective ingredients to the point of intersection and activities of local tissue hormones and mediators, as e.g. prostaglandins and cytokines. Empirical experience acquired over years, particularly in the field of balneological interventions in rheumatology and reproductive health, are now supplemented by exact basic data resulting from experimental medicine. Managing of technology of the fine filtration, extraction and subsequent concentration of the yield of the natural medicinal source - peloids, makes possible the use of humic substances in the form of aqueous and alcoholic concentrates in the professional as well as home environment (Petr, 2004; Petr et al., 2009).

Keywords: humic substances; peloids; peloid extracts; beneficial biological effects; balneology; quality of life

Received: February 20, 2012; Accepted: March 2, 2012; Published: March 16, 2012  Show citation