Awards

The innovation prize by the European Spas Association awarded annually has fallen on research on Hydrotherapy health conducted by researchers at the University of A Coruña, Rosa Meijide and Angela Vela and the Group of Rheumatology at the Institute of Biomedical Research A Coruña (INIBIC), Francisco Blanco and Elena Burguera. This study addresses the mechanisms of action of sulphurous waters mineiromedicinais in relation to rheumatic diseases, particularly osteoarthritis.
The work has been awarded Special Jury Prize under the Annual Congress of the ESPA, which this year was held in France. The entitie, with thirst in Brussels, integrates 1,200 resorts in 20 European countries. These awards recognize and give visibility to the most innovative and important initiatives of the European sector of hot springs and spa therapy.
As it is clear from this study, which continues in a next step to check in rats antioxidant effects, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory or catabolic (decreases cell death) detected in cells against hydrogen sulfide, which is the active principle of mineiromedicinais water sulfur, and which possess beneficial effects on health since, as scientists have demonstrated, this compound stops the degeneration of articular cartilage characteristic of osteoarthritis.
Eight Galician spas analyzed
To develop this study, researchers collaborate with many of the Galician spas with sulphurous water. It is Carballo and Compostela spas (Brion) in the province of A Coruña. In the province of Lugo are what Guitiriz, Lugo Roman Baths and Spa Oca Augas Santas (Panton). In the province of Ourense analized Arnoia spa waters. And in the waters of Pontevedra Caldas de Reis (spas Acuña and Dávila) and Termas de Cuntis. These results were presented at several international conferences, including the Annual Congress of the International Society for Research in Osteoarthritis or of the International Society of Medical Hydrology; and they have resulted in one doctoral thesis and several scientific publications.