Evaluation of the Hypoglycemic Effects of the aQUEOUS extract Okra In Chemically Diabetic Rats

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that results in hyperglycemia. According to the statistics of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), this problem has a fast growing prevalence and, unfortunately, leaves permanent complications on different body systems. For this reasons, nowadays attentions has been paid to the traditional medicine such as Okra (Abelmoscus esculentus). The Fruits of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) are widely used all over the world, including Saudi Arabia, in the medicinal field for the treatment and management of many human diseases, including diabetes mellitus. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activity of Okra extract in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. Material and methods: The fruits of Okra were extracted with distilled water. IP injection of STZ (50 mg/kg body weight) was used to induce diabetes. The rats were divided into 7 groups (10 rats in each group): group I, served as normal control rats received vehicle (normal saline solution); group II served as untreated- diabetic control rats received normal saline solution; groups III and IV served as diabetic-treated rats with 150 and 300 mg aqueous okra pods extract (AOPE)/kg body weight respectively; group V served as diabetic rats treated with 126 mg/Kg body weight of Galvus Met; group VI served as diabetic rats injected with 0.2 U insulin/kg body weight; and finally group VII served as a healthy control rats administered 150 mg AOPE/kg body weight. The parameters studied included fasting blood glucose, serum insulin and lipid profile including serum triglycerides, total lipids, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol.