title: A transient rise in plasma beta-endorphin after a traditional 47 degrees C hot-spring bath in Kusatsu-spa, Japan.
abstract: To clarify the mechanism of the intoxicating feeling attained after a traditional 47 degrees C hot-spring bath called 'jikan-yu' in Kusatsu-spa, Japan, we examined the change in plasma levels of beta-endorphin and methionine enkephalin in 7 healthy subjects. The mean sublingual temperature rose from 36.8 degrees C to 38.6 degrees C and the plasma beta-endorphin level from 16.2 pg/ml to 49.5 pg/ml 2 minutes after completing a 3-minute bath in 47 degrees C hot-spring water. However, the plasma methionine enkephalin level was not changed. This feeling of intoxication may be explained by the transient rise in plasma beta-endorphin level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Kusatsu Branch Hospital, Gunma University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kurabayashi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kawada
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shirakura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000698:Analgesia; D001452:Balneology; D001494:Baths; D001831:Body Temperature; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine / Q000097:blood; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine; D001615:beta-Endorphin