Abelmoschus esculentus (AE), a commonly consumed vegetable, is well-known for its anti-hyperglycemic effects. However, few scientific reports have identified its targets because mucilage increases the difficulty of manipulation. We recently reported extraction steps to obtain subfractions of AE, which were found to attenuate the adverse effects of high
glucose and
fatty acid in vitro. In this study, we used modified extraction steps and type 2 diabetic rats to explore whether AE subfractions can improve the metabolic disturbances caused by
insulin resistance in vivo. AE subfractions (F1, F2, and FR) were prepared. The
type 2 diabetes model was induced by feeding male Sprague-Dawley rats with a high-fat diet and injecting them with 35 mg/kgbw
streptozotocin when their
body weight reached 475 ± 15 g. After a hyperglycemic status had been confirmed, the rats were tube-fed with or without different doses of AE subfractions. Serum
glucose,
lipid markers,
insulin, HbA1c and HOMA-IR were measured in the following 12 weeks. Serum
glucose promptly increased and
insulin resistance was noted in the diabetic rats (
glucose: 360-500 mg/dl, HOMA-IR 9.8-13.8). F2, rich in
polysaccharides and
carbohydrates, was most effective in attenuating
hyperglycemia and
insulin resistance (
glucose: 200 mg/dl; HOMA-IR: 5.3) and especially HbA1C (from 8.0% to 6.5%). All of the AE subfractions lowered the level of
triglycerides and
free fatty acid, but not the level of total
cholesterol. FR significantly increased the
high-density lipoprotein/
low-density lipoprotein ratio, indicating its benefits for
lipoprotein profiles. While F2 and FR were associated with
weight gain, F1 possessed an anti-obese effect. In conclusion, whether it is consumed as a vegetable or as a nutraceutical, AE has the potential to be an adjuvant
therapy for diabetes. AE subfractions could be developed individually and deserve further investigation.