SCIENTISTS CREATE ANTIVIRAL GUM THAT REDUCES FLU AND HERPES VIRUS SPREAD BY UP TO 95%
According to WHO estimates, 64% of people worldwide are infected with the herpes simplex virus, and there are approximately one billion cases of seasonal influenza each year. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania's School of Dental Medicine have adopted a different strategy because there are no vaccinations available for the latter and poor immunisation rates for the former. A chewing gum that the scientific team created can cut the spread of the viruses that cause these illnesses by up to 95%.
The findings were published in Molecular Therapy by the team, which was led by Henry Daniell and included collaborators from Finland. Based on their earlier research on lowering SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19 patient saliva, they have developed a chewing gum that can neutralize two strains of influenza A (H1N1 and H3N2) and the herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2, making it less likely for the virus to infect cells and multiply.
Lablab beans (Lablab purpureus), which contain an antiviral trap protein (FRIL), are used to make the gum. By binding to viruses, this protein stops them from spreading. The researchers discovered that 40 mg of a 2-gram bean gum tablet could destroy 94% of HSV-2, 75% of HSV-1, and 95% of the H1N1 and H3N2 influenza viruses. On top of this, the chewing gums maintained their antiviral efficacy for up to 823 days when stored at room temperature.
Since the gum has not yet advanced to the human clinical trial stage, it was evaluated in a mechanical mouth. Moreover, over half of the FRIL proteins in the gum were released after 15 minutes of chewing, the team discovered. Daniell told Penn Today, "These findings bode well for assessing bean gum in human clinical trials to reduce virus infection/transmission." The gum met FDA safety standards after being produced as a clinical-grade medication.
Since the majority of breakthrough cases of influenza and herpes are caused by oral transmission, chewing gum may be a very useful tool in halting the spread of these two common diseases. "Virus transmission control remains a big global concern," Daniell says. "A natural food product (bean powder) containing a broad-spectrum antiviral protein (FRIL) to destroy both human and avian (bird) flu viruses is a timely breakthrough to prevent their infection and transmission." To assist in containing the current bird flu epidemics, the researchers will now test the powdered lablab beans in bird feed.