Researchers Discover Giant Tropical Fruit That Could Reverse Damage Caused by Gum Disease

A new biomaterial made from jackfruit latex, pomegranate peel extract, and the cholesterol-lowering drug simvastatin could offer a promising new approach to treating periodontitis, a severe form of gum disease that damages the tissues and bone supporting the teeth.

Developed by researchers at the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (PUC-SP) in Brazil, the experimental gel is designed to tackle several aspects of gum disease at once. The findings, published in Polymer Bulletin, suggest the material could help control infection and inflammation while also promoting the regeneration of damaged periodontal tissue.

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by bacterial infection. Current treatments mainly focus on removing infection and reducing inflammation but often do not restore the bone and connective tissues lost during the disease. Existing regenerative techniques, such as bone grafts, can also produce inconsistent results.

To overcome these limitations, the researchers created a mucoadhesive gel using jackfruit latex, which naturally sticks to tissues and may allow medicines to remain longer at the affected site. They combined it with pomegranate peel extract, known for its antimicrobial properties, and simvastatin, a drug that not only reduces inflammation but has also been shown to stimulate bone formation.

The team tested the biomaterial in the laboratory using human fat-derived stem cells. Simvastatin was incorporated into the gel at three different concentrations—0.3%, 0.6%, and 1.2%—all of which maintained the gel's structure and were considered technically safe.

All three formulations successfully promoted osteoinduction, the process that encourages stem cells to develop into bone-forming cells, within 14 days. The bone-forming effect became even stronger after 21 days, suggesting the material could help regenerate tissues damaged by periodontitis.

While the early laboratory findings are encouraging, the researchers emphasize that further studies are needed to confirm the biomaterial's safety and effectiveness before it can be tested in patients.

REFERENCE: Bruna V. Quevedo, Barbara B. T. de Lima, Kaique G. Hergesel, Jessica Asami, Daniel Komatsu, Eliana Aparecida de Rezende Duek. Jackfruit latex-pomegranate extract biomaterial incorporated with simvastatin as a potential osteoinductive system for periodontal applications. Polymer Bulletin, 2026; 83 (6) DOI: 10.1007/s00289-026-06358-w