A highly Swellable hydrogel encapsulating Ginsenoside Rh4 for obesity regulation

In the management of obesity, dietary intervention has become an effective approach due to its biosafety. Edible hydrogels, fabricated from natural polysaccharides and proteins, have emerged as promising alternatives for weight control. In this study, a highly swellable hydrogel encapsulating hypoglycemic and anti-inflammatory ginsenoside Rh4 was developed to regulate obesity, which integrated by natural-derivated carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and whey protein (WPI). The physical and chemical characterization results demonstrated the excellent mechanical properties and high swelling ratio of the designed hydrogel. The in vitro and in vivo results suggest that the hydrogel with optimized formulation exhibits significant drug sustained releasing, superior biocompatibility, as well as obesity-induced inflammation alleviation and intestinal flora regulation. Taken together, this edible hydrogel has the advantages for convenient preparation and reliable stability, conferring it with a great potential for the clinical obesity regulation.