Effect of Hydrogen-rich Water on Chronic Kappa-carrageenan-induced Colitis in Weaned Female Swiss Albino Mice: A Preliminary Study.

Food additives such as carrageenan, which are widely present in processed foods, can aggravate intestinal inflammation, particularly during the weaning period, a stage of high gut vulnerability. Weaned mice provide a relevant model to study how early dietary exposures influence intestinal health. This preliminary study explores the potential applicability of Hydrogen-rich Water (HRW), a non-pharmacological approach with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, as an early-stage and potentially patentable supportive strategy against carrageenan-induced colitis. Weaned female Swiss albino mice were assigned to four groups: normal control, UC, HRW, and diclofenac. Except for controls, all groups were exposed to kappa-carrageenan in drinking water for three months to induce chronic colitis, followed by a two-week treatment with HRW or diclofenac. Clinical signs, colon length, histopathology, cytokine expression, and gut microbiota composition were analyzed. Carrageenan exposure in weaned mice caused significant colitis, evidenced by body weight loss, an increase in disease activity index, colon shortening, and severe inflammatory lesions. Pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL1β, and IL6 were significantly upregulated with a concomitant decrease in IL10. HRW treatment significantly attenuated disease severity by reducing disease activity index, preserving colon length, decreasing pro-inflammatory cytokines, and partially restoring IL10 expression. However, HRW had limited effects on the relative abundance of beneficial gut microbes such as Bifidobacterium spp. and Akkermansia spp. These preliminary findings support existing evidence that early-life exposure to food additives disrupts immune regulation in the immature gut. The protective effects of HRW appear to be mainly host-mediated, suggesting an innovative but early-stage immunomodulatory mechanism rather than a microbiota-driven effect. Overall, this exploratory proof-of-concept study suggests that HRW may represent a promising and potentially patentable supportive approach for reducing diet-induced intestinal inflammation during weaning. Further validation is required before any translational or industrial application can be considered.