Zamzam water is pathogen-free, uricosuric, hypolipidemic and exerts tissue-protective effects: relieving BBC concerns.

Am J Blood Res 2020;10(6):386-396 www.AJBlood.us /ISSN:2160-1992/AJBR0117095 Original Article Zamzam water is pathogen-free, uricosuric, hypolipidemic and exerts tissue-protective effects: relieving BBC concerns Hany Salah Mahmoud1,2, Rehab A Eltahlawi3,4, Abdulhalem Abdulsamad Jan5, Osama Alhadramy6, Tamer M Soliman7, Sayed Mostafa El Sayed8,9, Hesham I Abdallah8,9, Momen El-shazley10,11, Noha M Shafik12, Reham A Mariah12, Noha El-Dabie13, Mohamed Abdel-Haleem14, Shaima Mohamed Abdelfattah Hassan15, Manal Mohamed Helmy Nabo16, Hassan El-Alaf17, Hussam Baghdadi18, Reda S Yousef19, Ahmed Alamir Mahmoud19, Salah Mohamed El Sayed1,18,19, Soliman M Amer20,21 Prophetic Medicine Course and Research, Taibah College of Medicine, Taibah University, Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, Saudi Arabia; 2Center of Scientific Foundation for Experimental Studies and Research, Ismailia, Egypt; 3 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt; 4Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Taibah College of Medicine, Taibah University, Saudi Arabia; 5Laboratory and Blood Bank General Director, King Fahad Hospital, Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, Saudi Arabia; 6Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Taibah College of Medicine, Taibah University, Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, Saudi Arabia; 7Department of Clinical Pathology, Sohag Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Egypt; 8Anatomy and Embryology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Taibah University, Saudi Arabia; 9Anatomy and Embryology Department, Faculty of Medicine-Ain Shams University, Egypt; 10Department of Medicine, Taibah College of Medicine, Taibah University, Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, Saudi Arabia; 11Department of Occupational Diseases and Toxigenomics, Sohag Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Egypt; 12Department of Biochemistry, Tanta Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Egypt; 13Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Egypt; 14Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, College of Medicine, Taibah University, Saudi Arabia; 15Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Egypt; 16Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Maternity and Children Hospital, Hail, Saudi Arabia; 17Department of Medical Physiology, Sohag Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Egypt; 18Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Taibah Faculty of Medicine, Taibah University, Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, Saudi Arabia; 19Department of Medical Biochemistry, Sohag Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Egypt; 20Family and Community Medicine Department, Taibah University, Al-Medinah, Saudi Arabia; 21Public Health and Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, New Damietta, Egypt 1 Received June 28, 2020; Accepted October 26, 2020; Epub December 15, 2020; Published December 30, 2020 Abstract: Zamzam water is the most frequently used drinking water by millions of people in Saudi Arabia. It is carried all the time by millions of pilgrims to their home countries as gifts to close and near relatives and friends. Safety of constituents of Zamzam water is a vital health topic. British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) raised many health concerns regarding the high serum arsenic and nitrate contents in Zamzam water that may cause cancer. It is role of scientific research to present scientific facts to relieve such concerns. Arsenic is a carcinogen while nitrate causes methemogloinemia that affect oxygen carriage by haemoglobin. An ethical committee approval was obtained. Eighteen white albino mice (40-45 g) were used in this study. Three experimental groups were allocated (six mice per group): tap water group, distilled water group and Zamzam water group. Our data revealed that Zamzam water exerts tissue-protective effects that contradict malignancy. Our data proved that Zamzam water is pathogen-free causing no bacterial growth on CLED agar colonies. Zamzam water consumption for three consecutive months in mice was quite safe for the general health and significantly decreased serum uric acid (p < 0.05) (possibly due to Zamzam-induced urine alkalinisation facilitating uric acid excretion). Regular Zamzam water consumption significantly decreased serum cholesterol (p < 0.05) and serum triglycerides (p < 0.05). Hypolipidemic effects of Zamzam water may be due to its high mineral content facilitating increased lipids metabolism. Our data confirmed safety of prolonged use of Zamzam water comparable to other drinking water types regarding the metabolic and synthetic functions of the liver. Nitrates in Zamzam water are thought to be an original constituent that may be useful (exerting vasodilation, antithrombotic, and immunoregulatory effects) and not harmless. This may occur due to high Zamzam Zamzam water is pathogen-free, uricosuric, hypolipidemic and exerts tissue-protective effects content of calcium, magnesium and selenium. Histologically, our data confirmed that Zamzam water was quite safe to renal parenchyma and comparable to other types of drinking water. In conclusion, health concerns raised by BBC regarding Zamzam water safety were a good chance for fruitful scientific research investigations that confirmed safety and beneficial effects of Zamzam water for human health. Keywords: Zamzam water, kidney functions, liver functions, uric acid, histology, BBC concerns Introduction Zamzam water (Zam Zam water) is the most preferred potable water and is considered superior to other drinking water sources in all Arabic and Islamic countries. Zamzam water well is sterile and is devoid of bacteria and fungi. It is located in the east of Al-ka’ba (Muslims’ prayer destination) at Makkah city, Saudi Arabia. Zamzam water is the most frequently used drinking water by millions of citizens in Saudi Arabia and millions of international residents living in Saudi Arabia. It is always consumed for 1-3 successive months by millions pilgrims who come yearly to Saudi Arabia and carry it also to their home countries as gifts to near relatives and friends. Understanding the effects of constituents of Zamzam water on human health is a vital health topic. Interestingly, Shomar reported that constituents of Zamzam water are stable over a relatively long time period [1]. Zamzam water and Zamzam well are not contaminated by biological growths (bacteria or fungi). Moreover, Zamzam water was reported to be free from any contaminants and is not chemically treated in any way [2]. More interestingly, Zamzam water was reported to exert weak antifungal effects to same break-point as some antifungals [3]. Zamzam water is rich in minerals. Based on that, health properties of Zamzam water (taste, odour and smell) are stable and not changed with time. Four essential metal ions are present enormously in Zamzam water. Those include sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium. In addition, seven trace metal ions are also available in Zamzam water. They (...truncated)