Effect of Abelmoschus esculentus (okra)-based diet on streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus in adult Wistar rats

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of an okra-based diet on streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus in adult Wistar rats and its mechanism of action.Methods: Wistar rats (6) were administered streptozotocin (50 mg/kg ip) after an overnight fast. Upon confirmation of diabetes mellitus, the animals were fed ad libitum for 21 days with formulated okrabased test diet in place of normal diet. The rats treated similarly with streptozotocin and fed ad libitum with the normal diet served as diabetic control while rats fed on normal diet and not treated with streptozotocin served as the negative control. Thereafter, the rats were sacrificed, fasting bloodcollected and analysed for glucose concentration and biochemical parameters. Pancreas was also excised for histopathological studies.Results: There was a significant increase in body weight, HDL-cholesterol (p< 0.05) but significant decrease in blood glucose (p < 0.05), serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol and VLDLcholesterol concentrations in the okra-fed diabetic treated rats when compared to the diabetic control group. Furthermore, superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) was significantly higher in the diabetic control, and reduced significantly when fed with okra-based diet (p < 0.05). Catalase (CAT) activity was significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in diabetic control and treated group, whereas it was significantly (p < 0.05) increased in normal control rats. There was a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in reduced glutathione levels. The significant (p< 0.05) increase in malondialdehyde in the diabetic group was significantly decrease in the diabetic rats fed with okra-diet. Also serum insulin level was significantly (p < 0.05) increased and serum α amylase activity was significantly (p < 0.05) decrease in the diabetic treated rats. Histology results show that there was damage to the β cells of the pancreas in the diabetic control when compared to normal control, but rats fed okra diet was able to regenerate endocrine β cells.