Fangotherapy is one of four medical treatments used under a medical doctor’s supervision at a hot spring. This treatment is conducted in Europe, especially in Italy, using peloids maturated with natural hot spring water. The maturated peloids have factors of concentrated hot spring and biological extract -glycolipids- from thermophilic algae.   There are many kinds of hot springs in Japan, but they are almost always used for “taking a bath” only. Our research focused on Fango found in Abano Italy, and modified into “Japanese style Fango” made with maturated peloids by hot spring water. Methods: The original Japanese Fango, which we made in a hot spring in Japan, has been named Biofango®. The original and first Biofango® was made from the Sanrakuen Hotel’s hot spring water in Toyama, and treated in the hotel as in the Abano style. The benefits of Biofango® were checked using the following methods; 1.　Hyperthermia and some medical effects were checked under treatment with maturated peloids, and the effects were compared with hot spring water only and with boiled tap water. 2.　The double-blind method was used comparing Biofango® (True Fango) and imitation Fango. Two kinds of Fango were made using either hot spring water or hot tap water, and some medical effects were checked. After treatment of Fangotherapy, a medical questionnaire was provided for each test subject. Results: Fango (Biofango®) is the best treatment among three bathing methods for keeping normal responses of blood flow and blood pressure at the thigh, and for keeping good thermal effects on the body, especially for the back of the body after 50 min.   The results of the double-blind method, deep body temperature increase and diastolic blood pressure decrease in True Fango showed a significant difference. Pulse increase and SIV decrease in True Fango shows a reduced load on the vessel, while still showing a high thermal effect. Functions of the body showed an improved friend in True Fango, according to the questionnaire survey. Conclusion: Traditional use of hot spring water in Japan was hot spring bathing in the mainstream. But, according to these results, Fango is the best method for a body-friendly treatment by hot spring water. Further, the questionnaire about body functions after Fango treatment shows that the hot spring Fango (True Fango) is more effective than hot tap water Fango (imitation Fango).   In Italy, glycolipids from thermophilic algae are an important factor for reducing inflammation by Fango therapy. Growth of thermophilic algae also has been confirmed in Fango maturation in Japan, and was cultured in the laboratory. We also found such glycolipids from Japanese algae, and have evidence, in situ, of the glycolipids remaining between particles of peloids. In the future, Biofango® should have a useful biological factor similar to Abano Fango for treatment.

Introduction: The link between the hydration state and the functional effects of formulations and natural systems is been demonstrated by several studies. Measurement of skin hydration has been used to assess barrier function integrity in vivo and stratum corneum (SC), hydration may increase after the topical application of natural or formulate systems. Thermal muds have great hydration properties thanking at its high water contain due to presence of clays minerals1). Our work was focused on the evaluation of skin’s hydration potentialities of Japanese Biofango®. Objectives: Mudtherapy increase the hydration state of skin and modify its selective permeability favouring the permeation of therapeutic substances product by maturation process. Our goal was the development of a tensiometric model for assessment and optimisation of Japanese Biofango mudtherapy protocol by the evaluation of skin hydration measuring water contact angles on skin surface2). Our work was performed at Sanraku-en spas centre (Tonami-Japan). Materials and Methods: Biofango was constituted by Kunigel, Kaolinite, and WakuraDiatomite contains montmorillonite. BFM mixture was prepared and collected from Sanraku-en maturation plant. Samples were stored at -25°C. Skin’s hydration state analysis were performed before and after treatment by contact angle method (CA) using DSA 2-Kruss Dynamic Tenskinmeter3) water as liquid test and accordingly to traditional Sanraku-en/Biofango protocol. Four subjects with differents age, sex and weights (KS, YS, MO, and KM) were considered as test. Sanraku-en mudtherapy protocol’s steps were (a) first blood pressure measurement, (b) water’s CA measurements on left and right arm before treatment, (c) thermal bath (8’), (d) water’s CA measurements, (e) BFM mudtherapy (20’), (f) water’s CA measurements on polish skin, (g) shower (3’), (h) water’s CA measurements, and (i) final blood pressure measurement. Results: CA of water on subject KS skin showed elevated levels before (CAt0>89.5 deg) and after (CAtf>89.5 deg) treatment. YS subject showed increases of skin hydration after treatment (CAt0>89.5 deg, CAtf=40.27 deg), MO showed more increase of skin hydration than YS (CAt0>89.5 deg, CAtf=20.12 deg), and KM (CAt0>89.5 deg, CAtf=41.30 deg) showed an hydration state similar to YS. Regarding YS subject, we optimized its mudtherapy by the inversion of bath (CAt0>89.5 deg, CAtf>89.5 deg) with mudtherapy phases. As results a major increase of hydration state respect normal protocol (CAt0>89.5 deg, CAtf =30.4 deg) reflecting on skin moisturize after bath phase also (CAt0>89.5 deg, CAtf=87.43 deg). Conclusions: Analyses of hydration state of skin by measurement of water’s contact angles consented to evaluate the capability of Biofango BFM to modify the selective permeability of stratum corneum. Thanking to the method developed was possible to optimise and personalize Sanraku-en protocol.

Introduction: TVS mud index1) is a tensiometric marker for quality and maturation process control of Italian Euganean Thermal Muds (ETM) which sensitivity defined on objective basis their quality and maturation degree. Objectives: The goal was to assess the maturation process of Biofango by TVS mud index (Sanraku-en spas centre, Japan and Osservatorio Termale Permanente-OTP, Italy), and its organic compounds by TOC analyses (University of Padova, Italy). Materials and Methods: Biofango was prepared using KomatsuClay, MotoyamaClay, WakuraDiatomite and KasaokaBentonite giving K02 (Bentonite 1.25, Kaolinite 1.5, Diatomite 0.25) and A01 (KasaokaBentonite 1.25, Kaolinite 0.5, Diatomite 0.25). Final Biofango BFM+0%Dolomite, MAT1+10%Dolomite, MAT2+18%Dolomite, and MAT3+35%Dolomite were analyzed by TOC (Perkin-Elmer-2400) and DSA10-Krüss employing (a) PFPE, Fomblin HC/OH-1000, diiodomethane, glycerine as liquid tests and (b) Owens-Wendt mathematical model for conversion of contact angles in surface energy parameters2). Results: The behaviour of C(%) in MAT1, MAT2, and MAT3 during maturation process (20°C) showed respectively (a) MAT1t0h=1.26%, MAT1t216h=0.91%, MAT1t360=1.08%, MAT1t576h=1.23%, MAT1t720h=0.98%, (b) MAT2t0h=2.36%, MAT2t216h=1.80%, MAT2t360=1.49%, MAT2t576h=1.86%, MAT2t720h=1.68%, (c) MAT3t0h=3.29%, MAT3t216h=2.71%, MAT3t360=2.57%, MAT3t576h=2.6%, MAT3t720h=2.7%. C% decrease demonstrating the influence of Dolomite in Biofango mixtures. Dispersed energy components (DC) of MAT1, MAT2, and MAT3 showed respectively (a) MAT1t0h=3.0mN/m, MAT1t216h=3.1mN/m, MAT1t360=2.9mN/m, MAT1t576h=3.8mN/m, MAT1t720h=2.5mN/m, (b) MAT2t0h=2.1mN/m, MAT2t216h=2.2mN/m, MAT2t360=3.1mN/m, MAT2t576h=3.7mN/m, MAT2t720h=2.6mN/m, (c)MAT3t0h=2.0mN/m, MAT3t216h=2.6mN/m, MAT3t360=2.6mN/m, MAT3t576h=2.9mN/m, MAT2t720h=3.0mN/m. On the other side TVS mud index showed respectively (a) MAT1t0h=68.7mN/m, MAT1t216h=70.26mN/m, MAT1t360=71.78mN/m, MAT1t576h=64.69mN/m, MAT1t720h=71.84mN/m, (b) MAT2t0h=74.06mN/m, MAT2t216h=71.69mN/m, MAT2t360= 70.36mN/m, MAT2t576h=65.83mN/m, MAT2t720h=71.23mN/m, (c) MAT3t0h=75.9mN/m, MAT3t216h=73.05mN/m, MAT3t360=73.34mN/m, MAT3t576h=68.52mN/m, MAT3t720h=68.66mN/m proportionally inverse with DC behaviour. MAT3 with highest content in Dolomite demonstrated great capability to uptake DC during maturation process with consequently decrease of TVS mud index levels accordingly with TOC result. Conclusions: Tensiometric investigations of Biofango underlined the links between chemical and surface energy data. The high sensitivity of TVS mud index consented to follow directly in a non invasive way the structural-surface changes in Biofango mixtures occurred during maturation process opening at new perspective for their control.

Introduction: Sanraku-en spa started to purpose the “Shogawa biofangotherapy” using hot spring water and different kind of clays of natural origin (called Biofango) matured for three weeks during which bacterial flora develop with production of constitutive elements having therapeutic properties [4]. In collaboration with Ascendant Co. Ltd was ideated and developed the production of the first japanese Biofango supported by Toho University, University of Science and Technology of Hokuriku, and University of Hishigawa opening at new perspective in mudtherapy for therapeutic use in Japan (Biofango project). Objectives: The goal was the assessing the surface energy of Biofango by TVS modelling and TVS mud index 1, 2). Tensiometric analyses of Biofango mixtures were performed at Sanraku-en spas centre (Tonami-Japan) and its quality control has been carried out in the Permanent Thermal Observatory (OTP) of University of Padova. Organic compounds analysis (TOC) were performed in the Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences of University of Padova (Italy). Materials and Methods: Biofango was prepared using KomatsuClay, MotoyamaClay, WakuraDiatomite and KasaokaBentonite. Pre-test mixtures were K01 (Bentonite 1.75, KomatsuClay 0.5, Diatomite 0.25) and M01 (Bentonite 1.75 MotoyamaClay 0.5 Diatomite 0.25). After were prepared K02 (Bentonite 1.25, Kaolinite 1.5, Diatomite 0.25) and A01 (KasaokaBentonite 1.25, Kaolinite 0.5, Diatomite 0.25) mixtures. Final Biofangos were BFM+0%Dolomite, MAT1+10%Dolomite, MAT2+18%Dolomite, and MAT3+35%Dolomite were analysed by XRF/XRD. TOC analyses were performed on a Perkin-Elmer-2400 analyser with Perkin-Elmer-AD-4 autobalance and tensiometric investigations were performed by DSA 10 (Krüss) tensiometer employing (a) PFPE, Fomblin HC/OH-1000, diiodomethane, glycerine as liquid tests and (b) Owens-Wendt3) mathematical model to convert contact angles in surface enery parameters. Results: XRD analyses of Biofango demonstrating presence of Kaolinite-Quartz-Feldspar in Komatsu Clay, Kaolinite-Quartz-Feldspar-Carbon in MotoyamaClay, Quartz-Montmorillonite-Feldspar-Grauconite in WakuraDiatomite, and Montmorillonite-Quartz-Feldspar-Christoballite in KasaokaBentonite while XRF showed presence of SiO2 (KomatsuClay 53.38%, MotoyamaClay 48.86%, WakuraDiatomite 78.20%, KasaokaBentonite 66.01%) and Al2O3 (KomatsuClay 53.38%, MotoyamaClay 48.86%, WakuraDiatomite 78.20%, KasaokaBentonite 66.01%) as principal elements. TOC analyses demonstrated an increase of C% with production of CO2 in relation to the amount of Dolomite in Biofango mixtures (MAT1=1.26%, MAT2=2.36%, MAT3=3.29%). Tensiometric investigations showed a correlation between C% and dispersed components (DC) measured on Biofango mixtures (MAT1=3.0 mN/m, MAT2=2.1 mN/m, MAT3=2.0 mN/m) and between C% and TVS mud index levels (MAT1=68.7 mN/m eq., MAT2=74.06 mN/m eq., MAT3=75.9 mN/m eq.). Conclusions: Tensiometric investigations of Biofango consented to determine the correlations between chemico-mineralogical data and surface energy parameters. Thanking to the high sensitivity of TVS mud index used as integrated tensiometric marker was possible to determine directly and in a non invasive way the quality of Biofango mixtures opening at new perspective in their monitoring and control before their employment in mudtherapy in Japanese spas after their maturation process.