ABELMOSCHUS ESCULENTUS L. MITIGATES NAFLD PATHOLOGIC PHENOTYPES IN C57BL/6J MOUSE MODEL

Purpose: Lifestyle modification is recommended as a primary strategy for the management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Recently, metabolic regulations of diets containing parts of Abelmoschus esculentus (okra) were investigated using the NAFLD mouse model. Methods: Five groups of C57BL/6J mice (n = 6) were arranged. Each received a distinct diet for 12 weeks as follows: Control group (mice fed with control diet), HFD group (mice fed with high-fat diet (HFD)), POSITIVE group (mice fed with 20 mg/kg/day simvastatin-mixed HFD), HFD-OP group (mice fed with 800 mg/kg/day okra peel powder-mixed HFD), and HFD-OS group (mice fed with 400 mg/kg/day okra seed powder-mixed HFD). Feed intake and body weight were recorded daily. After killing, blood samples were collected for measuring glucose and lipids concentrations. Visceral fat content and liver histochemistry were examined. Results: NAFLD/NASH mouse model was successfully developed by the 12-weeks HFD consumption. Increases of body weight, visceral fat, and blood glucose were not different among these five groups. HFD and Positive mice greatly consumed their diets and had increased levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol. NASH pathological phenotypes, such as macro- and micro-vesicular steatosis, ballooned hepatocytes, neutrophil infiltration, and fibrosis and necrosis, were in accompany observed. These liver disorders were limited in HFD-OP and HFD-OS mice, which were fed by okra peel- and okra seed-mixed HFD, respectively. Conclusion: Besides physical activity and exercise, daily consumption of okra pods might be advantageous to over-weighed peoples in suppressing NASH progression.