Science and Health: Antiviral Chewing Gum

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, in collaboration with experts in Finland, have developed an experimental chewing gum with high antiviral potential, capable of reducing the viral load in the oral cavity by more than 95%. The study, published in the journal Molecular Therapy, opens new perspectives in the prevention and control of orally transmitted viral infections, such as influenza and herpes.

• A world vulnerable to viruses

Seasonal influenza generates economic losses of more than $ 11.2 billion annually in the US, and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infects more than two-thirds of the global population, being a major cause of infectious blindness in developed countries, the study reports. Since both influenza and herpes are transmitted largely through oral contact, the researchers decided to intervene directly in the oral cavity - the main point of viral entry and replication. Thus was born the idea of an antiviral chewing gum that would reduce the risk of transmission and infection.

• Key ingredient: an antiviral plant protein

According to the researchers, the gum developed contains FRIL, a "trap" protein extracted from lablab beans (Lablab purpureus) - a tropical legume also known as Egyptian beans. This protein binds to viruses and neutralizes them before they can infect human cells. In tests, 40 mg of FRIL, incorporated into a 2-gram tablet of gum, reduced the viral load of two strains of influenza A (H1N1 and H3N2) and herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 by more than 95%.

• Results comparable to those obtained against SARS-CoV-2

The same team previously demonstrated that FRIL, administered in a similar gum, successfully reduced the amount of SARS-CoV-2 present in the saliva of COVID-19 patients. These results validate the potential of this oral solution as a universal prevention tool against several viruses. The importance of this chewing gum lies not only in its effectiveness, but also in the fact that it was produced according to clinical standards, like any other regulated drug. The Penn team confirmed that the gum is safe for human use and announced the preparation of clinical trials in humans. "These observations are promising for evaluating the gum in human clinical trials, with the aim of reducing viral infection and transmission," said Professor Henry Daniell, coordinator of the research.

• Extended applicability: from humans to birds

The researchers are now looking at using lablab powder to control avian influenza, a virus with high pandemic potential. In recent months, the H5N1 virus has infected more than 54 million birds in North America and has caused isolated human cases.

Preliminary tests show that lablab powder can neutralize viruses such as H5N1 and H7N9. The team plans to add it to bird feed as a preventive control measure. The antiviral gum represents a significant step towards non-invasive, affordable and widely applicable prevention. With its local, effective and safe action, it could become an essential weapon in combating the transmission of respiratory and oral viruses.