Researchers from University of Pennsylvania have developed an antiviral chewing gum which shows promising results in reducing 95% of viral load in saliva.
Research led by Henry Daniell at Penn’s School of Dental Medicine, has developed a chewing gum incorporating natural viral trap protein Flt3 Receptor Interacting Lectin (FRIL) derived from lablab beans.This protein works by binding to complex-type N-glycans seen on the viral envelopes and it traps them and prevents infection or viral spread.
This formulation targets on wide range of pathogens, lab tests showed 95% reduction in viral loads for influenza A strains (H1N1 and H3N2) and herpes simplex viruses (HSV-1 and HSV-2) with just 40 mg of the gum. The gum releases FRIL effectively during chewing, which helps to limit spread of virus through talking, coughing, sneezing, or close contact.
FRIL is highly stable in the chewing gum and was fully functional for 794 days when it was stored at ambient temperature. This gum shows promising results for seasonal threats like flu and herpes. Researchers are exploring the effect of lablab bean powder against bird flu (H5N1) in animal feed.
If clinical trails show positive results this can become a low-cost, non-invasive medium for high-risk settings such as schools, dental offices, public transport, or during outbreaks to help reduce oral viral transmission.
Original Article: Debulking influenza and herpes simplex virus strains by a wide-spectrum anti-viral protein formulated in clinical grade chewing gum - PubMed
What are your thought on this ?
MBH/PS