Investigation of the Healing Effects of Afyonkarahisar Region Hot Spring Waters' Inhalation on Experimentally Induced Asthma in Mice

Abstract

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways observed exclusively in humans and sometimes animals. In this study, 40 Albino rats of the same age were used. After 6 weeks of ovalbumin-induced asthma in all animals, 40 rats were randomly divided into two groups as control and study groups for a 21-day treatment period. At the treatment stage, the control group animals were treated with normal tap water, while the study group animals were treated with hot spring water. Clinical, hematological, blood biochemical and histopathological examinations were performed before starting the study, after asthma formation, and on days of 1st, 7th, 14th and 21st after treatment. Total leukocyte, neutrophil, monocyte, AST, ALT, GGT, total cholesterol, triglyceride levels were significantly decreased (p <0.05) in the study group animals which treated with hot spring water. These normalization changes were confirmed by histopathological findings. Consequently, it was concluded that hot spring water of Afyonkarahisar Region provide a very successful treatment in asthma, and it should be considered as a supportive option for the treatment of asthma.