| ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of the aqueous extract of okra on blood levels of fasting glucose, lipid profiles, and uric acid in the experimental model of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) rats and explore the possible mechanisms involved in these effects. MethodsTotal of 80 male SD rats aged of four weeks were randomly devided into normal control group(NC), high-fat control group(HF) and model group(MD) according to the body weight. The rats in NC group were fed with lab chow and rest of the rats was fed with high-sugar and high-fat diet. After four weeks of feeding, the rats in the MD group received peritoneal injection of streptozotocin(STZ) to establish the T2 DM animal model. Nine days after STZ injection, based on the blood glucose level, the successful model rats were randomly re-grouped as diabetes mellitus control(DMC), possitive control(PC)(Jiang-tangning gavage, 0.64g/kg·d-1), high, middle, and low dose of okra extract groups(H-Okra, M-Okra, L-Okra)(the okra extract was added into the high fat diet at the dosages of 2.60 g/kg, 1.56 g/kg, and 0.78 g/kg respectively). The rats were continuously fed for four weeks. The rat body weights and their daily average consumptions of food and water were recorded. At the end of experiment, the blood samples of the rats were collected and analyzed for fasting serum glucose(FSG), serum lipids, serum uric acid(SUA), blood urea nitrogen(BUN), and serum creatinine(SCr). The histological changes of pancreas were checked under light microscope after hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining. One-way analysis of variance(ANOVA) was used to analyze the results of all groups. Then LSD test was used to analyze the difference between groups. The values of α=0.05 were regarded as statistically significant. Results1. The weighing results showed that, body weight of the rats was higher in PC, H-Okra, and M-Okra groups(392.71±56.23 g, 406.36±72.91 g and 397.19±38.69 g) than that in DMC group(344.96±42.05 g)(P<0.01, P<0.05); the daily food intake was less in H-Okra and M-Okra groups(28.97±7.02 g, 32.03±7.46 g) than that in DMC group(38.90±9.92 g)(P<0.01, P<0.05); the daily urinary volume was lower in H-Okra group(133.10±61.79 m L) than that in DMC group(195.29±47.16 m L)(P<0.05); the daily water drinking was less in H-Okra group(160.67±54.15 m L) than that in L-Okra group(219.67±48.91 m L)(P<0.05).2. The blood test results: the levels of FSG, LDL-C and SUA were lower in H-Okra group(14.87±5.16 mmol/L, 0.139±0.047 mmol/L and 109.13±13.44 mmol/L) than that in DMC group(20.97±5.28 mmol/L, 0.176±0.066 mmol/L and 142.78±33.76 mmol/L)(P<0.05); the levels of FSG and SUA were lower in PC group(16.43±5.63 mmol/L, 114.70±23.29 mmol/L) than that in DMC group(20.97±5.28 mmol/L and 142.78±33.76 mmol/L)(P<0.05). The TC levels were significantly lower in the groups of PC, H-Okra, M-Okra, L-Okra(1.144±0.154 mmol/L, 1.063±0.329 mmol/L, 1.217±0.207 mmol/L and 1.117±0.269 mmol/L) than those in DMC group(1.745±0.311 mmol/L)(P<0.01). The level of HDL-C was lower in M-Okra group(0.769±0.098 mmol/L) than that in L-Okra group(0.642±0.134 mmol/L)(P<0.05). The levels of LDL-C were lower in H-Okra group(0.139±0.047 mmol/L) than that in M-Okra and L-Okra group(0.203±0.041 mmol/L, 0.190±0.065 mmol/L)(P<0.05, P<0.05). ConclusionsAt appropriate dosage level, aqueous extract of okra could improve the typical clinical manifestations of polyphagia, polydipsia, and weight loss, reduce serum glucose level, and markedly improve lipid disorder in T2 DM rats. The aqueous extract of okra also could lower serum uric acid level in T2 DM rats. These effects were dose dependent. |
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