Identification of Organic Compounds in San Diego de los Baños Peloid (Pinar del Río, Cuba)

Abstract

These results provide strong evidence for medical interpretation of the well-known therapeutic action of San Diego de los Baños peloid in the treatment of inflammatory and dermatological diseases, as analgesic, in male and female infertility therapies, and with cosmetic purposes. Furthermore, this systematic work contributes to the fundamental understanding of pelotherapy, giving some scientific basis for its future development.

Thermal mud maturation: organic matter and biological activity

“…In the 7-month mud, we noted the appearance of some saturated (nonanoic and tridecanoic acids) Saturated fatty acids and unsaturated (tetradecenoic and linoleic acids) fatty acids. Analysis of the organic components of muds from different spas has also detected phospholipids, phytosterols, terpenes, amino acids and other compounds produced by colonizing micro-organisms during maturation [15,[19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]. Therefore, the study of 6-month mud was deepened by the hot extracts (chloroform and water : ethanol 70 : 30) evaluation.…”

“…During the last few years, some scientific studies have focused on characterization of the muds and evaluation of the maturation process. These investigations have looked at the changes in the physico-chemical properties of thermal mud induced by maturation, using various instrumental techniques [4,8,[11][12][13]; the microflora has been examined [14][15][16][17] and the organic matter determined, particularly the lipid fraction [15,[18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27].…”

History of the Baths and Thermal Medicine

“…With the beginning of the twenty-first century, water has regained its importance due to the therapeutic experience of the physicians, and to the new studies of hydrology, pharmacology and biochemistry [ 8 , 9 ]. In particular, due to the contribution of Chinese, American and Spanish studies [ 10 ], thermal cure have now assumed a preventive, therapeutic and rehabilitative value in many diseases including collagen vascular disease [ 11 ].…”

Plant and mud extracts use for health purposes

“…The mud is composed by humic substances, pectin, cellulose and lignin, waxes, resins and inorganic materials [11], also being identified alkanes, 4 phenyl valeric acid, 5 isopentyl picolinic acid, 3 hydroxilauric acid, (5α, 3β) 3-hydroxy-11androstanon, 5α-2-ene-11 androstenone, squalene, α terpineol, menthol derivates, palmitic acid, oleic and eicosanoic acid and izoprenoid phytan [12].…”