title: Balneotherapy and coenzyme Q10 in clinical and experimental medicine.
abstract: Balneotherapy or Spa therapy is used in neurological, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, dermatological and gynecological diseases, in infertility as well as in metabolic disturbances. Beneficial effects of balneotherapy at the metabolic level is not fully understood. Authors have documented enhancement of antioxidants concentrations (coenzyme Q10- CoQ(10-OX) and alpha-tocopherol) of women with gynecological diseases by treatment with natural mineral water (Spa Lucky balneotherapy, Slovakia). In an experiment with rats, drinking of Spa Lucky mineral water decreased oxidative stress and enhanced concentrations of antioxidants CoQ(9-OX), CoQ(10-OX) in the myocardium, and alpha-tocopherol in uterus, ovaries and myocardium. Drinking of Spa Lucky water by rats stimulated myocardial mitochondrial respiration and energy production, and diminished skeletal muscle mitochondrial function. Simultaneous ingestion of coenzyme Q10 with drinking spa water returned mitochondrial parameters to the values of the control group. This pilot study helps explain the role of antioxidants, oxidative stress and mitochondrial energy production in beneficial effects of Spa Lucky balneotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Comenius University in Bratislava, Medical Faculty, Pharmacobiochemical Laboratory of 3rd Department of Internal Medicine, Sasinkova 4; 811 08 Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gvozdjakova
authors.affiliation: Comenius University in Bratislava, Medical Faculty, Pharmacobiochemical Laboratory of 3rd Department of Internal Medicine, Sasinkova 4; 811 08 Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Jarmila
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kucharska
authors.affiliation: General Health Insurance Company, Inc., Regional Branch of the General Health Insurance Company, Inc., ilina, Slovakia.
authors.forename: L'ubomir
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sykora
authors.affiliation: Comenius University in Bratislava, Medical Faculty, Pharmacobiochemical Laboratory of 3rd Department of Internal Medicine, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Ram B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001452:Balneology / Q000379:methods*; D019069:Cell Respiration / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008900:Mineral Waters / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008931:Mitochondria, Muscle / Q000378:metabolism; D010085:Oxidative Phosphorylation; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D008900:Mineral Waters; D014451:Ubiquinone; C024989:coenzyme Q10