In the age of interconnectedness, infectious diseases pose a significant threat to global health and economy. The COVID-19 pandemic and outbreaks of H1N1, SARS, Ebola, Zika, and bird flu have had devastating impacts worldwide. However, more common viral diseases such as seasonal influenza and herpes simplex virus-1 also contribute to global health challenges and economic costs.
Seasonal influenza epidemics cause a substantial global disease burden and economic losses each year in the US alone, exceeding $11.2 billion. Herpes simplex virus-1, spread primarily through oral contact, infects over two-thirds of the global population and is the leading cause of infectious blindness in Western countries.
The lack of an HSV vaccine and low vaccination rates for influenza viruses highlight the need for a new approach targeting reduction of viral loads at transmission sites. Since viruses like these are transmitted more efficiently through the mouth, this means focusing on the oral cavity.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Dental Medicine, along with collaborators in Finland, have developed an antiviral chewing gum made from lablab beans containing the antiviral trap protein FRIL. In a study published in Molecular Therapy, they demonstrated that 40 milligrams of the two-gram gum tablet reduced viral loads by more than 95% for both HSV-1 and HSV-2, as well as H1N1 and H3N2 influenza strains.
The researchers prepared the gum as a clinical-grade drug product to comply with FDA specifications and found it to be safe. This discovery augurs well for evaluating lablab bean gum in human clinical studies to minimize virus infection/transmission.
Future research plans include using lablab bean powder to tackle bird flu, which is having a significant impact in North America. The researchers hope to test the use of lablab bean powder in bird feed to control bird flu in birds.
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-04-antiviral-gum-influenza-herpes.html