Anti-Oxidative and Anti-Diabetic Effects of Electrolyzed Weakly Alkaline Reduced Water on Renal Proximal Tubular Epithelial Cells

Diabetes, a chronic metabolic disorder, affects glucose consumption in the body and leads to severe kidney damage, known as diabetic nephropathy, where oxidative stress (OS) plays a vital role in disease pathogenesis. Electrolyzed weakly alkaline reduced water (EWARW) is known to have anti-oxidative functions in vitro due to its bioactive properties. However, there is an increasing need for adequate research on EWARW-specific therapies to minimize the negative consequences of hyperglycemia-induced OS in the kidney. This study aimed to determine the anti-oxidative and anti-diabetic effects of EWARW at pH 8.5 on human kidney-2 (HK-2) cells. Here, HK-2 cells were treated with 71.68 mM glucose to induce OS and then treated with 10% tap water (TW)_7.7, electrolyzed alkaline reduced water (EARW)_9.5, or EARW_8.5 for 24 h. After treatment, cell viability, OS and apoptotic markers, glucose uptake, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content, and inflammatory markers were assessed to determine the effect of EARW_8.5. Our results revealed that EARW_8.5 rescued cell viability in comparison to the high glucose (HG) only and TW_7.7 groups. In addition, EARW_8.5 was effective in reducing OS markers (ROS, NO, and CAT), apoptotic markers (cleaved caspase-3), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) markers (p-JNK and p-p38), diabetic markers (glucose uptake), and inflammatory markers (p-STAT1, p-STAT3, IL-1 beta, and IL-6). Furthermore, we found EARW_8.5 treatment enhanced GPx and ATP content in HG-induced HK-2 cells compared to the HG-only and TW_7.7 groups. Collectively, EARW_8.5 stabilized antioxidant defenses and modulated inflammation, improving cellular metabolism and rescuing HG-induced harmful effects in HK-2 cells.