Journal of Applied Physiology AJP: Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology
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J Appl Physiol 96: 226-232, 2004. First published August 29, 2003; doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00812.2003
8750-7587/04 $5.00
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Decrease in heart rates by artificial CO2 hot spring bathing is inhibited by {beta}1-adrenoceptor blockade in anesthetized rats

Masaaki Hashimoto1 and Noriyuki Yamamoto2

1Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, 078-8510 Asahikawa; and 2Japanese Red Cross Hokkaido College of Nursing, 090-0011 Kitami, Hokkaido, Japan

Submitted 31 July 2003 ; accepted in final form 26 August 2003

To investigate the effects of carbon dioxide (CO2) hot spring baths on physiological functions, head-out immersion of urethane-anesthetized, fursheared male Wistar rats was performed. Animals were immersed in water (30 or 35°C) with high-CO2 content (~1,000 parts/million; CO2-water). CO2-water for bathing was made by using an artificial spa maker with normal tap water and high-pressure CO2 from a gas cylinder. When a human foot was immersed for 10 min in the CO2-water at 35°C, the immersed skin reddened, whereas skin color did not change in normal tap water at the same temperature. Arterial blood pressure, heart rate (HR), underwater skin tissue blood flow, and temperatures of the colon and immersed skin were continuously measured while animals were immersed in a bathtub of water for ~30 min at room temperature (26°C). Immersed skin vascular resistance, computed from blood pressure and tissue blood flow, was significantly lower in the CO2-water bath than in tap water at 30°C, but no differences were apparent at 35°C. HR of rats in CO2-water was significantly slower than in tap water at 35°C. Decreased HR in CO2-water was inhibited by infusion of atenolol ({beta}1-adrenoceptor blocker), but it was unaffected by atropine (muscarinic cholinoceptor blocker). Theses results suggest that bradycardia in CO2 hot spring bathing is caused by inhibition of the cardiac sympathetic innervation. This CO2-water maker should prove a useful device for acquiring physiological evidence of balneotherapy.

carbon dioxide balneotherapy; bradycardia; artificial carbon dioxide hot spring maker; head-out immersion


Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: M. Hashimoto, Dept. of Physiology, Asahikawa Medical Univ. School of Medicine, Midorigaokahigahi, Asahikawa 078-8510, Japan (E-mail: mhashi{at}asahikawa-med.ac.jp).






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