Study on health effects of exposure to radon recent studies on effects and mechanisms of radon therapy

Abstract

Radon therapy has long been performed for pain- and oxidative-stress- related diseases in Bad Gastein (Austria) and Misasa (Tottori). We carried out some animal experiments to clarify the mechanism underlying the effects of the therapy. The findings indicated that radon inhalation has antioxidative effects. For example, radon inhalation suppressed liver functional disorder and oxidative damage following carbon tetrachloride administration in mice. In addition, the anti-inflammatory effect through the enhancement of the antioxidative function, which suppresses inflammatory pain, was also obtained. From these findings, the possibility of health promotion by radon is suggested. © 2013 Atomic Energy Society of Japan, All Rights Reserved.