Clinical and Mechanistic Evidence for Comano Thermal Water: A Narrative Review
Comano thermal water (CTW) is a hypotonic, bicarbonate–calcium–magnesium mineral water traditionally used to manage chronic inflammatory and relapsing skin diseases. This review summarises and discusses the available clinical, experimental, and translational evidence on CTW, with a particular focus on dermatological indications. The physicochemical properties of CTW, along with the presence of a stable, non-pathogenic microbial community, are examined in relation to their potential biological activity. Clinical studies indicate that CTW-based balneotherapy, alone or in combination with narrowband Ultraviolet B (UVB) phototherapy, is associated with improvements in disease severity, symptom burden, and quality of life in patients with psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, and has a favourable safety and tolerability profile. Experimental data further suggest that CTW may exert anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects, modulate keratinocyte function, support skin barrier restoration, and influence the cutaneous microenvironment, including microbiome-related pathways. The review also outlines emerging evidence for CTW in skin regeneration and in upper airway inflammatory conditions treated via inhalation-based approaches. Overall, this review suggests that CTW may serve as a biologically active therapeutic resource, warranting further investigation as a complementary approach within integrative management strategies for inflammatory and barrier-related conditions.
Authors
- Renato Pedron
- Calogero Pagliarello (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7169-4829)
- Olivier Jousson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3344-7194)
- Ermanno Baldo
- Davide Geat (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3430-2077)
- Mattia Giovannini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9568-6882)
- Anna Calza
- Mario Cristofolini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-4174-6705)
- Serena Manara (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6371-528X)
- Elisa Cervadoro
- Anna Peroni
- Ilaria Dal Prà (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5523-4910)
- Stefania Farina (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1326-000X)
- Anna Belloni Fortina (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5791-0775)
- Ubaldo Armato (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7804-6143)
- Anna Chiarini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6974-7685)
- G Agostini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5060-7183)
- Eugenio Mira
- Giuseppe Zumiani
- Angela Faga (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6467-5512)
- Mauro Zanoni
- Vittoria Rizzo
- P. Bauer
- Giorgio Ciprandi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7016-8421)
- Giovanni Nicoletti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1507-4067)
- Giampiero Girolomoni (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8548-0493)
- Paolo Gisondi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1777-9001)
- Damiano Abeni (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0167-7617)
- Glenda Tettamanti
- Nicola Segata
Institutions
- University of Pisa (IT)
- University of Verona (IT)
- University of Molise (IT)
- University of Padua (IT)
- University of Trento (IT)
- University of Pavia (IT)
- Istituto Universitario di Studi Superiori di Pavia (IT)
- Italian Society of Physiotherapy (IT)
- Provincia Autonoma di Trento (IT)
- Meyer Children's Hospital (IT)
- British Association of Dermatologists (GB)
- Istituto Dermopatico dell'Immacolata (IT)
- Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale Lariana (IT)
- Società Italiana di Reumatologia (IT)
- Ospedale di Livorno (IT)
- Policlinico San Matteo Fondazione (IT)
- Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IT)
- University of Florence (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- International Journal of Molecular Sciences
- Published
- 2026-04-27
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27093893
- Primary Topic
- Therapeutic Uses of Natural Elements
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00