Here's something cool: brains at the University of Pennsylvania have developed a chewing gum that, at least in lab tests is able to trap flu virus and the little buggers that cause herpes—simplex viruses one and two. That's right: in the near future there may be no need for shots, pills or other unsavoury delivery systems. Your vaccines and medicines could be delivered via a stick of Juicy Fruit.
The Penn researchers have been working on antiviral gum for some time now. Several years ago, they developed gum from plant-based material that could effectively trap SARS-CoV-2—the cause of covid-19—in people's saliva. Their latest creation relies on a similar approach but uses a different plant that's native to sub-Saharan Africa and commonly eaten in tropical areas: Lablab purpureus, also known as the lablab bean. Past research has shown that the lablab bean naturally carries a protein that can bind to a wide variety of viruses. This protein is called Flt3 Receptor Interacting Lectin, or FRIL for short.
The researchers incubated samples of influenza, along with HSV-1 and HSV-2, with FRIL, finding that it could neutralize the viruses with sufficiently high doses. They also used a mechanical mouth to chew the gum and measure if enough FRIL would be released during chewing to reach these levels. They found that a two-gram gum tablet containing 40 milligrams of bean powder was sufficient to reduce the viral load of these viruses by over 95%.
It's still early days for this Hubba Bubba healthcare solution, but things look promising. Not only can the chewing gum deliver vaccines and other medications, but it could potentially be used to stop diseases, transmitted via saliva, dead in their tracks. Just think of the applications: folks scared of needles wouldn't need to fret over getting their jabs any longer. Kids could be protected from measles and other deadly diseases via gumballs handed out by the lunch lady. Your anti-vax friends and family could be hilariously hoodwinked into being protected from diseases that could kill them (and you) by offering them a couple of Chicklets. Fun! Well, maybe not that last one. I'm betting there's something legal that could arise from it.
Now, if they can just sort out that whiskey-flavoured chewing gum Chief O'Brien was noshing on in Deep Space Nine, we'll be in business.
Previously:
• How well does your medication work?
• DEA fuels moral panic over ADHD meds to justify its failed drug war
• The package for this parasite medication is the stuff of nightmares
