Penetration of selected Dead Sea minerals through a healthy rabbit skin, from a sustained-release transparent varnish, as a prospective treatment for psoriasis

Bathing in the Dead Sea is an established treatment for psoriasis. Penetration of Dead Sea minerals into psoriatic skin is an effective factor in this treatment, but applying it clinically requires frequent bathing in the Dead Sea or in its bath-salt solution. We tested an ethyl-cellulose-based transparent varnish with a sustained-release property, for its penetrability of such minerals. Minerals tested were MgBr₂, and KBr, known for their relevance in psoriatic proliferation. They were applied for up to three weeks. We could demonstrate that two weekly applications of the salt-containing varnish on healthy rabbit skin are enough to obtain elevated levels of magnesium and potassium in their plasma. We propose the application of Dead Sea minerals containing varnish as a clinical treatment for psoriasis.