The WHO estimates that there are around a billion cases of seasonal influenza annually, while 64% of the global population have herpes simplex virus infection. With low vaccination rates for the former and no vaccines available at all for the latter, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Dental Medicine have taken a different approach. The team of scientists have developed a chewing gum that can reduce transmission of the viruses that cause these diseases by up to 95%.
The researchers, led by Henry Daniell and featuring collaborators in Finland, published their findings in Molecular Therapy. Drawing from their previous work on reducing SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19 patient saliva, they've created a chewing gum that can neutralize the herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2, as well as two strains of influenza A (H1N1 and H3N2), meaning that the virus becomes less likely to infect cells and replicate itself.
The gum is made from lablab beans (Lablab purpureus), which have an antiviral trap protein (FRIL). This protein binds to viruses, preventing them from spreading further. The team found that 40 mg of a 2-gram bean gum tablet was able to neutralize 95% of the H1N1 and H3N2 influenza viruses, 75% of HSV-1, and 94% of HSV-2. On top of this, the chewing gums maintained their antiviral efficacy for up to 823 days when stored at room temperature.
The gum was tested using a mechanical mouth, as it hasn't reached the human clinical trial stage yet. The team found that chewing the gum for 15 minutes released more than 50% of the FRIL proteins it contained. “These observations augur well for evaluating bean gum in human clinical studies to minimize virus infection/transmission,” Daniell told Penn Today. The gum was prepared as a clinical-grade drug and was found to be safe per FDA specifications.
Since both influenza and herpes are not only ubiquitous diseases but also two where oral transmission is to blame for most of its breakthrough cases, the chewing gum could prove really helpful to stop the spread. “Controlling transmission of viruses continues to be major global challenge,” says Daniell. “A broad spectrum antiviral protein (FRIL) present in a natural food product (bean powder) to neutralize not only human flu viruses but also avian (bird) flu is a timely innovation to prevent their infection and transmission.” Now, the researchers will look into testing lablab beans powder in bird feed to help control the current outbreaks of bird flu.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Dental Medicine have developed a chewing gum that can reduce transmission of flu and herpes viruses by up to 95%.
The gum is made from made from lablab beans (Lablab purpureus), which have an antiviral trap protein.
“These observations augur well for evaluating bean gum in human clinical studies to minimize virus infection/transmission,” says professor Henry Daniell.
Sources: An antiviral chewing gum to reduce influenza and herpes simplex virus transmission; Penn Dental Medicine Study Shows Gum Containing Antiviral Protein Reduces Flu, Herpes Transmission; New Virus-Trapping Gum Could Help Neutralize Herpes Infections; Influenza (seasonal) / WHO; Herpes simplex virus / WHO; A chewing gum that could reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission
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