Advanced Materials, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown
Published: May 6, 2025
Abstract Natural products are a crucial resource for drug discovery, but poor understanding of the molecular‐scale mechanisms their self‐assembly into soluble, bioavailable hydrogels limits applications and therapeutic potential. It is demonstrated that Zingibroside R1 (ZR1), derived from Panax notoginseng, undergoes spontaneous self‐assemble hydrogel comprising helical nanofibrils with potent antifungal activity lacking in its monomeric state. Cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo‐EM) revealed an intricate hydrogen‐bonding network facilitates ZR1 nanofibril formation, characterized by hydrophobic core hydrophilic exterior architecture, which underpin binding cell wall vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) pathogen, C. albicans . The interface between gel glucan compromises membrane integrity, inhibiting proliferation vitro VVC model mice vivo. could also deliver probiotic Lactobacillus , synergistically restoring vaginal microenvironment. This study advances mechanistic ZR1's structure‐function relationships, offering valuable insights rational design optimization natural product‐based hydrogels.
Language: Английский