Effect of combined spa and physical therapy on pain in various chronic diseases

The purpose of this study was to exhibit the effect of combined therapy [spa and physical therapy] on pain in various chronic diseases. Retrospectively, 472 [58.1% female and 41.9% male] spa and physical therapy patients with a mean age of 53.4 +/- 12.5 years were evaluated during 2001-2004 from the archives of Dumlupinar University TUTAV Thermal Cure Center. Before, after therapy and before discharging, visual analog scale [VAS] for pain, heart and respiratory rates, systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured for hemodynamic evaluations. Arthrosis [230 patient, 48.7%] was found to be the main problem in our patients. Ankle arthrosis, fibromyalgia and cervical disc herniation were found with the highest VAS values compared to other pathologies before spa therapy [p<0.05]. Immediately after spa therapy and before discharge, VAS values were lower than before treatment [p<0.05]. Immediately after spa therapy, the highest decreases in VAS values were observed in coxarthrosis and gonarthrosis patients [p<0.05]. Coxarthrosis and nonarticular patients had the lowest VAS values before discharge than other pathologies [p<0.05]. No statistical differences were found between male and female VAS values in all stages of treatment [p>0.05]. Heart and respiratory rate were statistically increased [p<0.01], diastolic blood pressure was decreased [p<0.01] but not changed in systolic blood pressure [p>0.05] immediately after spa therapy. Before discharging, all hemodynamic parameters were found statistically decreased before treatment and immediately after spa therapy [p<0.01]. A combination of spa and physical therapy decreases pain and improves functional capacity without any hemodynamic risk in rheumatological, neurological and cardiac patients

Cytotoxic effects of some animal and vegetable extracts and some chemicals on liver and colon carcinoma and myosarcoma

To study, the cytotoxic effects of some biological and chemical agents on G1, S, G2, M and G0 phases of liver and colon carcinomas and myosarcoma cells obtained with chemical carcinogens dimethylbenzanthracene [DMBA] and cadmium chloride. Eight rabbit livers, colon carcinoma and myosarcoma cell lines were obtained by injection of DMBA in the Biology Laboratory, of the University of Dumlupinar, Kutahya, Turkey between January 2001 and June 2003. All lines were grown at 37degrees celsius and 5% carbon dioxide in sterile RPMI-1640 medium with 10% fetal bovine serum after addition of glutamate, penicillin [50 units/ml] and streptomycin [50 ug/ml] [complete medium]. Cells were grown on standard tissue culture plastic flasks to 80% confluence and passed by trypsinization. Tortoise [Testudo graeca] shell, sponge [Geodia cydonium], medusa [Aurelia aurita], meat flies [Calliphora erythrocephala] larva, frog [Rana ridibunda] larva and juniper [Juniperus communis] berry extracts killed a large amount of the liver and colon carcinomas and the myosarcoma cells in G2, M and G0 phases [p<0.01]. The mistletoe [Viscum album] extract had more effect in only the G0 phase [p<0.05]. Genistein, genistin, glycitein, glycitin, daitzein and daitzin have significantly decreased in the cancer cells tests, particularly, genistein and daitzein caused the apoptotic effect in G2, M and G0 phases [p<0.01]. Cesium chloride, a mixture of cesium chloride with magnesium chloride had the most effect on tumor cells [p<0.01]. AzhexSi, Azhex-AzhepSi, Et-Azhex-AzhepSi, AzhepSi, Hexamine and DL 54 have been inhibited in various levels of the cancer cells [p<0.05, p<0.01]. This data suggest that some biological extracts and chemicals tested may be useful chemotherapeutic agents to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. This study sheds some light for new anti cancerogenic experiments preventing various cancers on humans