[The physical and chemical properties of the skin and the action of therapeutic physical factors].

This article discusses the importance of the physical and chemical properties of the skin subjected to the action of the therapeutic physical factors. The author presents the data illustrating the influence of alterations in skin permeability on the penetration of medicinal substances into the organs and tissues of the body under conditions of application of various physico-pharmacological methods based on the use of chemical ingredients of peloid therapy and other balneotherapeutic technologies. The effectiveness of skin permeability is known to be of special importance in the context of physical therapy since it determines the action of its individual components. The influence of skin pH values as the parameters determining the peculiar features of percutaneous electrophoresis of cations and anions is demonstrated. It is shown that the reduction of electrical resistance of the skin barrier significantly improves the electrophoretic propagation of medicinal substances; therefore, such alteration determines, in many respects, the choice of the dosimetric parameters for electropuncture and electro acupuncture. Special attention is given to the discussion of the opportunities through which the variation of the skin optical properties could be applied to enhance the efficiency of phototherapy. The need to continue research on this problem topical for physiotherapy is emphasized.

[Skin receptors and therapeutic physical factors].

This review presents the data on the receptor function of the skin and its role in the formation of the body's response to the action of physical therapy. Especially much attention is given in the paper to the influence of ultrasound, microwaves, laser radiation, various medical environments, and other physical factors on the morphofunctional condition of the skin receptors. Possible mechanisms of changes in receptor activity under effects of physical therapeutic factors are analyzed. Moreover, the paper summarizes the directions of further possible studies on the interactions between physical factors and cutaneous receptors.

Suppression of Ehrlich carcinoma growth by cobra venom factor.

Cobra venom factor (CVF) depletes the complement system of the blood by forming stable convertase C3/C5 of the alternative pathway. We found that CVF from the Thailand cobra venom slows down the growth of subcutaneous Ehrlich carcinoma (EC) in mice at a dose of 1.7 nmol/g. Previously, we described a similar effect for the nerve growth factor (NGF) from the venom of this cobra. However, these factors did not exhibit either synergy or additive effect. On the contrary, they neutralized the antitumor effect of each other when they were administered simultaneously. Therefore, on the one hand, the NGF antitumor effect against EC manifests itself under the conditions of inflammation, and normal functioning of the complement system is necessary for this effect to occur. On the other hand, suppression of the humoral immune system leads to a slowdown of the EC growth, but administration of NGF prevents this.

[Combined physical therapy: general information, interaction between physical factors]. / Sochetannaya fizioterapiya: obshchie svedeniya, vzaimodeistvie fizicheskikh faktorov.

The present article is devoted to problems pertaining to the combined (simultaneous) medical application of the therapeutic physical factors. The classification of the methods used in combined physical therapy is proposed, their advantages over the traditional therapeutic modalities are discussed, the general principles of simultaneous application of the medical physical factors are considered. The possible variants of interaction between such physical factors in the case of their combined application are theoretically determined, the criteria for their quantitative assessment (coefficients of synergism and effectiveness of combination) are offered, examples of their application for the evaluation of the efficiency of the selected combinations are provided.

[Electroporation: characteristics and therapeutic application of the method (a review)]. / Élektroporatsiia: kharakteristika i lechebnoe ispol'zovanie metoda (obzor).

The article briefly summarizes the currently available information on electroporation and electroporation-based therapy. We consider the definition and the biophysical basis of the method as well as the possible mechanisms underlying the formation of pores under the influence of the application of a pulsed electric field. The characteristics of the devices for electroporation are described and the most typical examples of the use of electroporation and electrochemotherapy in experimental and clinical oncology, dermatology, cosmetology, and other fields of medicine are provided.

[Certain results of the investigations into the anti-tumour action of the magnetic field under experimental conditions].

This paper summarizes the results of the application of thr magnetic fields for the treatment of experimental tumours, such as sarcoma M-1, alveolar liver cancer PC-1, and Erlich's carcinoma. The evidence of the anti-tumour action of both strong (1200 mTI) and weak (5 to 100 mTI) magnetic fields has been obtained. The author describes the modulating effect of the magnetic fields on the anti-tumour potency of photodynamic therapy and chemotherapy. The data concerning the impact of ferromagnetic hyperthermal therapy on the tumour growth and the survival rate among the tumour-bearing animals are presented.

[The hepatotropic action of sodium chloride and hydrocarbonate mineral water containing humic acids (an experimental study)].

The present article summarizes the results of experimental studies on the hepatotropic action of native and modified low-mineralized sodium chloride and bicarbonate waters differing in the content of humic acids. It was found that the most beneficial changes after a course of 21 day therapy with the use of such mineral waters for the treatment of experimental hepatitis were observed after the application of the water with a humic acid content of roughly 20 g/dm3. Such treatment resulted in the significant improvement of the liver antitoxic function, intensification of basal metabolism, reduction of the inflammatory processes, normalization of the hepatic enzyme activity, and stimulation of proteinsynthetic function in parallel with positive dynamics of the morphological and histochemical characteristics of the liver.

[The ultrastructural organization of the liver of rats with experimental hepatitis after drinking mineral water containing humic acids].

We undertook the ultrastructural analysis of liver parenchyma taken from male rats with experimental hepatitis induced by the administration of paracetamol at a dose of 1000 mg per 1 kg body weight either following a course of drinking mineral water containing humic acids at a concentration of 20 mg/sq. decimeter) or 14 days after the termination of the drug action (the after-effect phase). It was shown that the consumption of mineral water during 21 days resulted in the modification of the ultrastructural organization of hepatocytes apparent as the increased amount of cisterns in the granulosa endoplasmic system, glycogen rosettes, and mitochondrial polymorphism. These changes give evidence of the restoration of the energy, glycogen and protein synthesizing functions disturbed by paracetamol administration. The after-effect phase was characterized by the further strengthening of reparative processes and the functional activity of hepatic cells.

[The experience with the application of dynamic electroneurostimulation in clinical medicine. A multicenter study].

The ever growing occurrence of iatrogenic pathologies under present conditions is responsible for the high percentage of adverse reactions associated with medicamental therapy. It emphasizes the necessity of the more extensive application of non-pharmacological products and physiotherapeutic methods free of this disadvantage. Dynamic electroneurostimulation (DENS) is one of the up-to-date promising therapeutic and prophylactic modality for this purpose by virtue of its broad spectrum of action. This approach is based on the principle of monitoring skin surface impedance. The present study was designed to estimate the effectiveness of DENS for the treatment of the patients presenting with chronic diseases, such as nervous disorders, dysfunction of the locomotor system, gastrointestinal and urogenital pathologies. This multicenter study in the form of a randomized clinical trial included 1,198 outpatients and 814 inpatients. It was shown that the application of dynamic electroneurostimulation provides a highly efficacious tool for the management of nervous, internal, and other diseases. It can be recommended for use as a promising non-medicamnetal therapeutic modality for the combined treatment and rehabilitation of the patients presenting with the diseases of various etiology.

[The role of local hyperthermia in oncology: applications of a magnetic field, laser radiation, and ultrasound].

This paper reports the principal data on hyperthermia and its role in the modern combined treatment of malignant neoplasms. A brief characteristic of magnetic, laser, and ultrasound hyperthermia is presented. The prospects for the further development of new methods of hyperthermia for the application in oncology.

[The targeted transport of the medicinal substances and the therapeutic physical factors].

The present review describes the existing systems for the directed transport of the medicines to the target organs. The article presents the data on the use of the protein vectors, nanoparticles, artificial and natural containers for the targeted delivery of the pharmaceutical products. The potential applications of the physical factors for the directed transport of medicinal substances are considered.

[Active oxygen species, antioxidants, and the action of therapeutic physical factors].

Characteristics of active oxygen species, the antioxidative system and their biological role are considered. The known data concerning the influence of physical factors on the processes proceeding with the participation of free oxygen radicals are summarized. The most promising directions of further research on the action of physiotherapeutic factors mediated through free radicals are discussed.

[Investigations into certain mechanisms of antinociceptive action of millimeter wavelengths].

Changes in skin susceptibility and afferent pulsation frequency were measured in n. saphenous of rats undergoing the action of ultrahigh frequency electromagnetic radiation (UHF EMR). The study was aimed at verifying the hypothesis of the involvement of interleukine-6 (L-6) and endocannabinoids in the realization of the antinociceptive effect of UHF EMR. It was shown that UHF EMR with a wavelength of 7.1 mm lowers tactile, temperature, and pain sensitivity of the skin. This change was shown to correlate with the decreased electrical activity of afferent conductors of n. saphenous. Moreover, the IL-6 level in rat blood sera increased within 10 minutes after the irradiation both in the case of LPS-induced polyphasic fever in intact animals and under the normal conditions. This finding can possibly point out to the participation of this cytokine in the mechanisms of the antinociceptive effect especially in the case of pain of inflammatory origin. The data obtained give evidence that UHF EMR and anandamide exert a synergistic effect which confirms the involvement of the endocannabinoid system in the mechanisms of the antinociceptive action of the physical factor under consideration.

[The influence of hemomagnetotherapy on the cardiovascular system and physical working capacity of athletes].

This article presents the results of the study on early and late effects of hemomagnetotherapy on the cardiovascular system of 87 athletes representing different sports. It was shown that a single course of hemomagnetotherapy consisting of 10-12 procedures ensures an adequate multifaceted physiological effect including the improvement of myocardial contractility, economization of the function of the cardiovascular system, reduction of functional stress on the vegetative nervous system, increase of its parasympathetic and decrease of sympathetic activities, lowering of aggregation and coagulation potentials of the blood, modulation of blood oxygenation. Taken together these changes have contributed to the significant improvements of physical working capacity of the athletes.

[Vacuum darsonvalization and devices for its performance].

This paper deals with a scientifically sound rationale for he new combined physiotherapetic modality known as vacuum darsonvalization. Indications and contraindications for the clinical application of medicinal vacuum darsonvalization are considered. The devices currently available for the realization of this technique under practical conditions are described.

[New methods of physical therapy and instruments for their application (based on projects developed in Belarus)].

This article was designed to overview new methods (thermomagnetotherapy, photomagnetotherapy, vacuum darsonvalization, low-frequency fonotherapy, etc.) developed in Belarus under the guidance of the author. The information about the influence of these therapeutic modalities on the human organism is presented along with indications for their application in clinical and sports medicine.

[Modulation of afferent nerve impulsation by certain physical factors (experimental study)].

Effects of different therapeutic physical factors of electromagnetic (millimeter wavelengths waves, polychromatic light) and mechanical (high- and low-frequency ultrasound) nature on the pulsed electrical activity of afferent somatic fibers in n. saphenus were evaluated in acute experiments using anesthetized rats. It was shown that the action of these factors on the afferent nerve impulsation frequency (its increase or decrease) depends on the choice of dosimetric parameters.

[Involvement of hemoglobin in the therapeutic action of blood ultraviolet irradiation].

The objective of this work was to study the mechanism of therapeutic action of extracorporeal ultraviolet irradiation of circulating blood and to evaluate the possibility of its application to combined treatment of patients with acute coronary syndrome. It was shown that ultraviolet irradiation causes photodissociation ofoxyhemoglobin thereby altering the oxygen-carrying function of the blood and improving oxygen supply to cells and tissues. The UV-induced modification of blood properties not only prevents tissue hypoxia but also triggers a cascade of metabolic processes. Taken together, these effects have beneficial influence on the clinical course of cardiovascular and other diseases.