title: Extract of okra lowers blood glucose and serum lipids in high-fat diet-induced obese C57BL/6 mice.
abstract: Okra is an important tropical vegetable and source of dietary medicine. Here, we assayed the effects of an ethanol extract of okra (EO) and its major flavonoids isoquercitrin and quercetin 3-O-gentiobioside on metabolic disorders in high-fat diet-induced obese mouse. We found that treatment with EO, isoquercitrin and quercetin 3-O-gentiobioside reduced blood glucose and serum insulin levels and improved glucose tolerance in obese mice. Meanwhile, serum triglyceride levels and liver morphology in the mice were significantly ameliorated by EO and isoquercitrin treatment. Total cholesterol levels in isoquercitrin and quercetin 3-O-gentiobioside treated mice were also reduced. We also found that EO inhibited the expression of nuclear receptor transcription factor PPARγ, which is an important regulator of lipid and glucose homeostasis. Furthermore, we determined that EO and quercetin 3-O-gentiobioside have antioxidant activity in vitro. Our results indicate that okra may serve as a dietary therapy for hyperglycemia and hypertriglyceridemia.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Shengjie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Qinhu
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Lijing
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Mingxia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Ximin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Baican
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Yiming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China. Electronic address: chuang.shutcm@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D028483:Abelmoschus / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D004187:Disaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008820:Mice, Obese; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011794:Quercetin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D004187:Disaccharides; D007328:Insulin; D047495:PPAR gamma; D010936:Plant Extracts; C000594739:quercetin 3-O-gentiobioside; C016527:isoquercitrin; D011794:Quercetin
keywords: Diabetes; Hyperlipidemia; Insulin resistance; Okra