PHYSICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL-CHANGES OF THERMAL MUD AFTER MATURATION

Thermal mud is a therapeutic agent whose antirheumatic effectiveness i s optimized by a process of maturation. The maturation of thermal mud was followed at 48 degrees C under controlled conditions by measuring physical and biochemical changes due to the growth of colonizing therm ophilic microorganisms. Thermogravimetric measurements allowed us to i dentify the building up of an organic component including phospholipid s and in particular a previously recognized sulfoglycolipid, which was further purified. The compound may be responsible for the antirheumat ic effect of the mud and is produced by the colonizing species which d evelop in a period of maturation subsequent to that of production of p hotosynthetic pigments.