New antiviral chewing gum may fight infection, curb spread of flu & herpes virus

IANS April 5, 2025 230 views

A groundbreaking research team from the University of Pennsylvania has developed an innovative antiviral chewing gum using lablab bean protein. The gum effectively neutralizes herpes simplex viruses and influenza A strains by reducing viral loads dramatically in experimental models. This novel approach targets oral virus transmission, offering a potential new strategy for preventing viral infections. The research represents a promising development in combating seasonal epidemics and addressing limitations in current vaccination approaches.

"Controlling transmission of viruses continues to be a major global challenge" - Henry Daniell, Penn's School of Dental Medicine
New Delhi, April 5: A team of US researchers have developed a new antiviral chewing gum that showed the potential to substantially reduce viral loads of two herpes simplex viruses and two influenza A strains in experimental models.

Key Points

1

Lablab bean gum contains powerful antiviral trap protein (FRIL)

2

Reduces viral loads by over 95% in experimental models

3

Targets oral transmission of HSV and influenza

4

Developed as clinically safe FDA-compliant product

Seasonal influenza epidemics occur annually, causing a substantial global disease burden. The herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), spread primarily through oral contact, infects over two-thirds of the global population.

Low vaccination rates for influenza viruses and the lack of an HSV vaccine underscore the need for a new approach.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania targetted the oral cavity to fight against these viruses, which are transmitted more via the mouth than the nose.

In the study, published in the journal Molecular Therapy, the team tested the ability of chewing gum made from lablab beans. They tested Lablab purpureus -- which naturally contains an antiviral trap protein (FRIL) -- to neutralise HSV-1 and HSV-2, and two influenza A strains H1N1 and H3N2.

The chewing gum formulation allowed for effective and consistent release of FRIL at sites of viral infection.

They demonstrated that 40 milligrams of a two-gram bean gum tablet was adequate to reduce viral loads by more than 95 per cent.

Importantly, the researchers prepared the gum as a clinical-grade drug product to comply with the US FDA specifications for drug products and found the gum to be safe.

“These observations augur well for evaluating bean gum in human clinical studies to minimise virus infection/transmission,” said Henry Daniell, Professor at Penn’s School of Dental Medicine.

The team is now looking to use lablab bean powder to tackle bird flu -- currently having a significant impact in North America.

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

Reader Comments

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Sarah K.
This is amazing! I get cold sores all the time and would love to try this gum. Finally some innovation in antiviral treatments that's easy to use. Hope it gets approved soon! 😊
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Michael T.
Interesting concept but I wonder about the long-term effects of chewing this regularly. Also, 95% reduction sounds impressive but what does that actually mean in real-world transmission rates?
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Jamal R.
Lablab beans saving lives? Nature never ceases to amaze me. I'd take this over chemical antivirals any day if it works as promised.
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Alicia P.
As someone who works in healthcare, I'm cautiously optimistic. We need more prevention tools like this, especially with flu season coming up. Would love to see the clinical trial results!
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Trevor L.
The bird flu application could be huge if it works. Farmers and poultry workers would benefit massively from this kind of protection.
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Emma S.
I appreciate the research but I'm concerned about accessibility. Will this be affordable for everyone or just another expensive medical product? The article doesn't mention cost.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Tags:
Antiviral Chewing Gum Herpes Virus Influenza University of Pennsylvania Henry Daniell Medical Innovation
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