ABELMOSCHUS ESCULENTUS (OKRA): A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF ITS PHYTOCHEMISTRY, TRADITIONAL USES, AND PHARMACOLOGICAL POTENTIAL

A popular vegetable with considerable therapeutic significance and potential as a functional food is Abelmoschus esculentus, also known as lady's finger or okra. It belongs to the Malvaceae family. It has historically been used to treat worm infestations, gastrointestinal issues, inflammation, and metabolic diseases including diabetes. Okra's mucilage, a polysaccharide rich in galactose, rhamnose, and galacturonic acid, is a significant bioactive component with potential antidiabetic, antioxidant, gastroprotective, and hepatoprotective properties. Okra mucilage has drawn interest for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical uses because of its advantageous qualities, including non-toxicity, biocompatibility, affordability, and beneficial rheological behavior. Even though many conventional claims are supported by experimental research, more thorough in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies are required to determine its therapeutic potential and encourage its sensible use.