New antiviral chewing gum blocks influenza and other infectious diseases

Infectious diseases are becoming more frequent, more severe, and harder to control in our closely connected world. Viruses spread rapidly because of changing climates, crowded cities, and increased global travel.

Despite modern medicine's progress, outbreaks like COVID-19, Ebola, Zika, and influenza remind us how vulnerable society remains. Scientists are now turning to an unexpected solution: chewing gum.

Researchers have found that the mouth is a major entry and exit point for many viruses. Saliva often carries high viral loads—levels that can be thousands of times greater than those in nasal secretions.

For viruses like influenza, coronavirus, herpes simplex virus (HSV), and human papillomavirus (HPV), oral transmission is common. This reality makes the mouth an ideal target for new prevention methods, especially when vaccines are limited or less effective.

Vaccines have been our primary defense against viral infections. However, vaccines are not always available or fully effective.

For instance, despite yearly flu shots, seasonal influenza still causes up to 7 million hospital stays worldwide annually, costing over $11 billion each year in the U.S. alone. Vaccine effectiveness against influenza can drop as low as 10%, especially when circulating virus strains change.

Another significant problem is herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), which infects over two-thirds of the global population. In the U.S. alone, HSV-1 causes more than 500,000 oral herpes cases yearly. Without an approved vaccine, HSV-1 remains a leading cause of infectious blindness and brain inflammation in Western nations. Clearly, relying only on vaccines isn't enough.

Recognizing these challenges, scientists explored a creative approach: antiviral chewing gum. A team from the University of Pennsylvania developed gum that delivers antiviral proteins directly into your mouth. This method targets viruses exactly where they multiply and spread.

Chewing gum is an ideal delivery method because it continuously releases active ingredients as you chew, ensuring effective and consistent protection. Unlike traditional antiviral drugs that require injections or tablets, gum can be used conveniently by anyone, anywhere.

The researchers started by using proteins naturally found in a common bean called lablab. This bean powder contains a powerful protein called FRIL, which has unique antiviral properties. FRIL binds tightly to sugars found on the surfaces of viruses like influenza and herpes. By attaching itself to these sugars, FRIL traps viruses in large clusters, preventing them from infecting cells.

Tests showed impressive results. Just 40 milligrams of bean powder in a small piece of gum could reduce viral amounts in saliva samples by over 95%. This dramatic reduction was consistent across influenza strains H1N1 and H3N2, as well as herpes viruses HSV-1 and HSV-2. These findings match earlier successes seen with similar gum designed against COVID-19, which also achieved reductions above 95%.

Henry Daniell, W.D. Miller Professor in the Department of Basic & Translational Sciences at the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the lead scientist behind the gum, emphasized how critical this breakthrough could be. "These observations augur well for evaluating bean gum in human clinical studies to minimize virus infection/transmission," Daniell said. He believes the gum could significantly lower virus transmission rates, especially during outbreaks when vaccines fall short.

This gum has already passed rigorous safety checks required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), meeting clinical standards necessary for drug products. Currently, the COVID-19 version of this gum is moving through Phase I/II clinical trials. These trials will further evaluate the gum's ability to reduce viral loads in actual patients, bringing it closer to widespread public use.

The gum approach has major advantages beyond effectiveness. The proteins encapsulated in bean powder eliminate common problems with traditional antiviral drugs. Typically, antiviral biologics require cold storage, complicated transport, and expensive purification methods.

Bean powder, however, removes these obstacles, significantly cutting costs and simplifying distribution. This makes antiviral gum particularly useful in low-income regions where access to healthcare and refrigeration is limited.

The scientists aren't stopping with flu and herpes. The team is now exploring gum-based solutions to fight avian influenza (bird flu), a growing threat in North America. Recent outbreaks of bird flu strain H5N1 have affected over 54 million birds, causing concern about potential human infections.

Interestingly, previous studies found bean powder effective against bird flu strains H5N1 and H7N9. Daniell's team hopes to extend this protection by incorporating bean powder into bird feed, potentially halting the spread of bird flu among animals before it reaches humans.

“Controlling transmission of viruses continues to be a major global challenge," Daniell noted. "A broad spectrum antiviral protein (FRIL) present in a natural food product (bean powder) to neutralize not only human flu viruses but also avian flu is a timely innovation to prevent their infection and transmission."

With its broad effectiveness against different viruses, antiviral gum could become a standard method to control outbreaks. Its potential is especially strong for diseases lacking effective vaccines, like herpes simplex. For other viruses with existing vaccines, gum provides a valuable backup, protecting against new strains that vaccines can't handle.

Reducing viral loads directly at the source—your mouth—may revolutionize infection control strategies worldwide. As global health threats continue, accessible and affordable innovations like antiviral gum could offer essential protection.

The power of chewing gum as a health tool lies in its simplicity. You don't need medical training, expensive equipment, or cold storage. Just chewing regularly could significantly lower your chance of infecting others.

As infectious diseases become more common, prevention measures must adapt. This chewing gum, harnessing the power of natural antiviral proteins, offers hope that future outbreaks can be controlled or even prevented entirely.

In a world increasingly challenged by viral infections, perhaps the answer is as simple as chewing gum.

Research findings are available in the journal Molecular Therapy.

Note: The article above provided above by The Brighter Side of News.

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