Biol. Pharm. Bull., 30(2),234-236, February 2007

Regular Articles

Preservative Effect of Electrolyzed Reduced Water on Pancreatic β-Cell Mass in Diabetic db/db Mice

Mi-Ja KIM,^a,b Kyung Hee JUNG,^c Yoon Kyung UHM,^c Kang-Hyun LEEM,^d and Hye Kyung KIM^*,e

^a Department of Obesity Management, Graduate School of Obesity Science, Dongduk Women's University; Seoul 136-714, South Korea: ^b Imagine Obesity Institute, 117 Purynsol Mun Wa Gyun, Kyung Hee University; 1 Hoegi-Dong, Dongdaemun-Gu, Seoul 136-701, South Korea: ^c Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University; 1 Hoegi-Dong, Dongdaemun-Gu, Seoul 136-701, South Korea: ^d College of Korean Medicine, Semyung University; Jaechon, 370-711, South Korea: and ^e Department of Food and Biotechnology, Hanseo University; Seosan 356-706, South Korea. * To whom correspondence should be addressed. e-mail: hkkim111@hanseo.ac.kr; mijakim@dongduck.ac.jp

Oxidative stress is produced under diabetic conditions and involved in progression of pancreatic β-cell dysfunction. Both an increase in reactive oxygen free radical species (ROS) and a decrease in the antioxidant defense mechanism lead to the increase in oxidative stress in diabetes. Electrolyzed reduced water (ERW) with ROS scavenging ability may have a potential effect on diabetic animals, a model for high oxidative stress. Therefore, the present study examined the possible anti-diabetic effect of ERW in genetically diabetic mouse strain C57BL/6J-db/db (db/db). ERW with ROS scavenging ability reduced the blood glucose concentration, increased blood insulin level, improved glucose tolerance and preserved β-cell mass in db/db mice. The present data suggest that ERW may protects β-cell damage and would be useful for antidiabetic agent.

Key words electrolyzed reduced water; diabetic mice; blood glucose; insulin; glucose tolerance; pancreatic β-cell mass