In an exciting development that could revolutionize the field of regenerative medicine, researchers at the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation have engineered a novel injectable hydrogel composed of silk fibroin and a plant-derived compound, puerarin. This innovative biomaterial demonstrates remarkable wound-healing capabilities in laboratory settings, achieving complete closure of tissue wounds within just 72 hours. The breakthrough highlights a promising step toward less invasive treatment modalities for soft tissue repair that overcome many limitations of current synthetic and natural biomaterials.
The clinical challenge of healing wounds that are either difficult to access or exhibit delayed recovery remains a significant obstacle in healthcare. Existing biomaterials designed for tissue engineering often require surgical implantation, which introduces risks and patient discomfort. Furthermore, many lack the necessary mechanical compliance to adapt dynamically to soft and irregular tissue structures. The Terasaki team’s newly developed hydrogel addresses these shortcomings by harnessing the intrinsic properties of silk fibroin—an extensively biocompatible protein harvested from silkworm cocoons—and puerarin, a bioactive isoflavone extracted from the kudzu plant root known for its potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Through meticulous experimentation, the researchers synthesized five hydrogel formulations, each varying in puerarin concentration from 1% to 5%, while maintaining a constant silk fibroin content. This systematic approach enabled them to explore how incremental adjustments in the puerarin ratio influence the hydrogel’s physicochemical properties. Published in the journal ACS Omega, their findings reveal that puerarin molecules form extensive hydrogen bonding networks within the silk fibroin matrix. This supramolecular assembly significantly enhances the structural integrity and mechanical stability of the hydrogel without perturbing the native protein conformation of silk fibroin, preserving its biological functionality.
The interplay between silk fibroin and puerarin molecules results in a hydrogel with a tunable internal architecture. Higher puerarin levels create denser polymeric networks, which confer increased viscoelastic strength to the material. Importantly, this tailored supramolecular organization facilitates the hydrogel’s injectability: it can be pushed through an ultrafine 27-gauge needle and rapidly recuperate its gel state once extruded into a biological environment. This unique shear-thinning and self-healing behavior confers an exceptional advantage for minimally invasive delivery, potentially eliminating the need for extensive surgical procedures.
In vitro biocompatibility assessments revealed that cultured human skin cells exposed to the silk fibroin-puerarin hydrogels exhibited over 95% viability from the onset of exposure. Remarkably, these cells demonstrated accelerated migration and proliferation leading to complete wound area closure within 72 hours for all tested formulations. The variant with the highest puerarin concentration achieved an unprecedented approximate 60% closure rate within the first 24 hours, underscoring puerarin’s role in expediting cellular processes essential for tissue regeneration. Crucially, no cytotoxic effects or adverse cellular responses were observed in any of the experimental groups, confirming the safety profile of the composite hydrogel.
Dr. Bruna V. Quevedo, the study’s first author and a Visiting Scholar at the Terasaki Institute, emphasized the clinical implications of their results. She highlighted that achieving full wound healing within such a short timeframe, coupled with the material’s needle injectability, marks a significant advancement toward developing real-world therapeutic platforms for soft tissue repair. Unlike traditional biomaterials that might require open surgery or present issues with conformability, this silk fibroin-puerarin hydrogel offers a versatile and patient-friendly alternative.
Further elaborating on the translational potential, Dr. Menekse Ermis Sen, a Terasaki Fellow and corresponding author, articulated the promise of injectable biomaterials in reducing patient morbidity by circumventing invasive implantation procedures. The flexibility and biocompatibility of the hydrogel mean it can conform snugly to complex wound geometries, fostering a microenvironment conducive to cellular growth and remodeling. Such properties could transform standard care practices for chronic wounds and soft tissue injuries, which currently involve prolonged healing times and risk of complications.
At the molecular level, puerarin’s dual functions as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent likely contribute synergistically to the enhanced tissue repair observed. By modulating the local inflammatory response and scavenging reactive oxygen species, puerarin creates a protective niche that promotes cellular survival and matrix deposition. This multi-functional bioactivity, integrated within a mechanically robust silk fibroin scaffold, represents a sophisticated biomaterial design strategy that aligns with the principles of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
Despite these promising findings, the researchers acknowledge the necessity of advancing beyond laboratory studies. Preclinical evaluations in relevant animal models will be essential to validate the hydrogel’s therapeutic efficacy and biocompatibility under physiological conditions, including dynamic mechanical stresses and complex biochemical environments. Such studies will also elucidate the degradation kinetics and long-term remodeling behaviors critical for clinical translation.
The Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation, which focuses on accelerating translational research by integrating biomaterials science, cellular engineering, and medical device design, envisions that this silk fibroin-puerarin hydrogel platform could serve as a foundation for customized tissue engineering solutions. By fine-tuning molecular interactions in hydrogels and exploiting natural bioactive compounds, the institute aims to develop next-generation injectable therapies that truly enhance wound healing outcomes, improve patient comfort, and reduce healthcare burdens worldwide.
The novel injectable hydrogel’s ability to mimic native extracellular matrix properties while offering facile delivery and potent therapeutic action opens new avenues for treating a spectrum of soft tissue injuries. This research underscores the transformative power of combining traditional biomaterials with phytochemicals to create multifunctional platforms that address urgent clinical needs. As the field moves forward, the convergence of molecular engineering and natural product pharmacology heralds a new era of regenerative medicine with unprecedented potential for patient care.
Subject of Research: Cells
Article Title: Injectable Silk Fibroin−Puerarin Hydrogels with Tunable Supramolecular Organization as a Potential Platform for Tissue Engineering
News Publication Date: June 22, 2026
Web References: http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.6c02412
References: Quevedo BV, Sen ME, et al. Injectable Silk Fibroin−Puerarin Hydrogels with Tunable Supramolecular Organization as a Potential Platform for Tissue Engineering. ACS Omega. 2026 May 13; DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.6c02412
Image Credits: Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation
Keywords: Bioengineering, Regenerative Medicine, Biomaterials, Silk Fibroin, Puerarin, Injectable Hydrogel, Tissue Engineering, Wound Healing, Drug Delivery, Cell Biology, Biotechnology, Materials Science
Tags: antioxidant and anti-inflammatory wound treatmentbiocompatible injectable hydrogelsinjectable silk fibroin hydrogelkudzu plant bioactive compoundsnon-invasive tissue regeneration methodsnovel hydrogel formulations for healingplant-derived injectable biomaterialspuerarin-based wound healingrapid wound closure therapiesregenerative medicine biomaterialssilk protein for tissue engineeringsoft tissue repair innovations
