It sounds like an odd pairing, but jackfruit latex and pomegranate peel are at the centre of a new material that Brazilian researchers say could help treat severe gum disease.
Researchers at the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo in Sorocaba developed a biomaterial made from jackfruit latex, pomegranate peel extract and simvastatin, a statin-based drug, as part of efforts to improve treatment for periodontitis.
Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by infection. It can destroy the structures that support teeth over time, leading to bone loss and reduced attachment between teeth and surrounding tissues.
Current treatments aim to control infection and inflammation, but they generally do little to regenerate damaged periodontal tissue. Other methods, including guided tissue regeneration and bone grafting, have also been explored, but the researchers said results can vary and are often difficult to predict.
To try to address those limits, the team investigated natural bioactive materials that could act on several parts of the disease at once.
“We began to view latex extracted from jackfruit as an interesting alternative, as it has adhesive properties. This led us to believe that it could remain longer at the site affected by periodontitis, promoting a more targeted release of therapeutic compounds and potentially reducing the need for systemic antibiotic use,” Professor Eliana Aparecida de Rezende Duek, from the Department of Surgery at the FCMS, said.
Duek coordinated the study, which was supported by FAPESP and published in Polymer Bulletin.
The researchers combined jackfruit latex with pomegranate peel extract, which is known for topical antimicrobial properties, and simvastatin, which they described as an anti-inflammatory drug that has also been studied for its ability to stimulate bone formation.
Together, the ingredients formed a mucoadhesive matrix designed to act directly on damaged tissue.
The researchers said direct delivery of simvastatin to the affected area may also avoid a problem seen with oral use. When taken by mouth, most of the drug is retained by the liver and only a small amount enters the bloodstream, meaning higher doses are often needed and can raise the risk of side effects, including acute muscle degeneration.
To make the biomaterial, the scientists manually collected latex from freshly harvested jackfruit and purified it, then added pomegranate peel extract.
They then carried out physicochemical and biological analyses to examine the biomaterial’s structure and behaviour under laboratory conditions.
The team also ran an in vitro study using human adipose-derived stem cells. Simvastatin was added to the gel at concentrations of 0.3 percent, 0.6 percent and 1.2 percent.
The researchers said those concentrations did not alter the gel’s structure and were considered technically safe.
All three concentrations promoted osteoinduction within 14 days, encouraging cells to develop into bone-forming tissue. The effect was stronger after 21 days, the researchers said.
“Overall, the results were very encouraging for us. We observed that the developed biomaterial has great potential for future applications in treating periodontitis and in other areas as well, especially since it involves a material that has received little attention in the scientific literature for biomedical use,” Duek said.
She said more research is still needed before the technology moves closer to clinical use.
“Despite these promising results, we’re continuing to move forward with new studies to more thoroughly evaluate the efficacy and safety of the system,” she said.
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