Analysis of the effect of okra extract on the diversity of intestinal flora in diabetic rats based on 16S rRNA sequence

To study the effect of okra aqueous extract on the intestinal flora of diabetic rats. Taking normal SD rats as CK group, diabetic rats induced by 40 mg/(kg.bw) streptozotocin (STZ) intraperitoneally as M group, normal and diabetic rats gavaged with 500 mg/(kg.bw) okra aqueous extract were CKO and MO groups,respectively. The bacterial flora of the cecum contents of rats was analyzed with 16S rRNA V3-V4 sequencing after 8 weeks of the experiment. Compared with CK, M increased Firmicutes 14.00% and decreased Proteobacteria 19.32% (P <0.01). Compared with M, MO down-regulated Lachnospiraceae 2.64% (such as Blautia, Anaerostipes), up-regulated Peptostreptococcaceae 1.20% in Firmicutes, and down-regulated Desulfovibrioceae 3.78% (such as Desulfovibrio) and up-regulated Burkholderia 5.24% (such as Parasutterella) in Proteobacteria. It is worth noting that MO up-regulated Christensenellaceae (LDA>4), which was negatively correlated with body mass index, inflammation, and metabolic syndrome. The okra aqueous extract reverses the changes of the intestinal flora of STZ-induced diabetic rats, which decreased Firmicutes and increased Proteobacteria by down-regulating Lachnospiraceae and Desulfovibrionaceae, up-regulating Burkholderiaceae, Christensenellaceae. The okra aqueous extract has the potential as a functional food with regulating intestinal microecology balance of diabetes.