Study: Experimental Chewing Gum ‘Traps’ Coronavirus Particles, Reduces Viral Load By 95%

4

NEW YORK (VINnews) — An experimental chewing gum containing a protein that “traps” coronavirus particles could limit the amount of virus in saliva and help curb transmission of the virus when infected people are talking, breathing or coughing, researchers believe.

Join our WhatsApp group

Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email


The University of Pennsylvania research team, led by Professor Henry Daniel, conducted laboratory experiments of the new gum with human samples and saline samples.

The gum contains copies of the ACE2 protein found on cell surfaces, which the virus uses as a gateway to break into cells and infect them. In test-tube experiments using saliva and swab samples from infected individuals, virus particles attached themselves to the ACE2 “receptors” in the chewing gum. As a result, the viral load in the samples fell by more than 95%, the research team from the University of Pennsylvania reported in the journal Molecular Therapy.

The gum feels and tastes like conventional chewing gum, can be stored for years at normal temperatures, and chewing it does not damage the ACE2 protein molecules, the researchers said. Using gum to reduce viral loads in saliva , they suggest, would add to the benefit of vaccines and would be particularly useful in countries where vaccines are not yet available or affordable.


Listen to the VINnews podcast on:

iTunes | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Podbean | Amazon

Follow VINnews for Breaking News Updates


Connect with VINnews

Join our WhatsApp group


4 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
reb yid
reb yid
2 years ago

Mandatory gum chewing!

Shmuel
Shmuel
2 years ago

Sounds like a load of gum to me.

Hashomer
Hashomer
2 years ago

You don’t need chewing gum or animal de-wormer. THE VACCINE WORKS!