Topical treatment using thermal waters from the spring of Las Salinas in Spain improved plaque psoriasis for patients suggesting that mineral-medicinal waters may be a therapeutic option, according to a research letter.¹

The research included in this letter was authored by Virginia Sánchez, MD, Dermatology Service, Hospital HM Sanchinarro in Madrid.

Psoriasis affects an estimated 60 million individuals around the world, and plaque psoriasis is known as the most common form of the skin disease.

This study aimed to explore the potential of medicinal properties in mineral and thermal waters, which the investigators note had already been widely believed to be medicinal.

“The medicinal properties of mineral and thermal waters have been known for centuries,” Sánchez and colleagues wrote. “Several prospective studies and two randomized clinical trials have demonstrated a significant improvement of psoriasis using mineral waters as a single agent or in combination with other treatments.”

Background and Findings

This spring is located in Villamanrique de Tajo, and its waters were declared mineral-medicinal by the Community of Madrid Department of Economy, Employment and Finance. The investigators provided a chemical breakdown of the composition of the spring water.

The researchers conducted a prospective study, designed to assess the efficacy of mineral water as a topical for patients with psoriasis.

They recruited 20 study participants between October and December 2022, with 11 men and 9 women all with a 52.5-year median age.

“The median number of lesions treated in each case was 4 (range 1–10), and only 2 patients maintained systemic treatment (methotrexate and adalimumab) during the study period,” they wrote. “In both cases, the systemic treatment had been initiated a year prior to their inclusion in this study.”

The investigators examined the water’s effects through 3 parameters: lesion severity (using the PASI score), plaque moisture, and mean baseline value of plaque sebum.

The researchers noted that lesion severity had a mean baseline level of 4 but then decreased to a mean score of 3 following topical treatment with the water.

They found that plaque moisture increased from a mean baseline value of 15.85 to 18 after treatment and that the mean baseline value of plaque sebum was 8.4 and increased to 14.6 after treatment.

The investigators also added that the participants reported no adverse events related to the treatment.

Overall, the water in Las Salinas was found to show some therapeutic benefit for the patients, which aligns with previous research indicating that mineral-medicinal waters could have some therapeutic use.

References

1. Sánchez, V., Gallo, E., Camacho, D., García, A., Feltes, F., Pumar, C. and Martin, M. (2023), Prospective clinical study to assess the efficacy of the topical use of mineral water from the spring of Las Salinas on plaque psoriasis. J Cosmet Dermatol. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.15686.