A recent study—which hasn’t yet undergone peer review—has demonstrated that chewing an experimental piece of gum can lower the amount of Omicron particles in saliva.
The study found that the gum ‘traps’ SARS-CoV-2 particles in saliva and shows promise for reducing the spread of new virus strains.
The viral load decreased to undetectable levels as a result of the virus particles attaching to the chewing gum’s ACE2 ‘receptors,’ according to research published in Biomaterials.
When saliva from people with the Delta or Omicron variations was utilised in test-tube tests, the coronavirus entered cells and infected them using copies of the ACE2 protein located on cell surfaces.
While researchers prepare to launch the first human trial, COVID-19 patients will each chew four ACE2 gum tablets each day for four days in the clinical trial.
According to a University of Pennsylvania study, genetically modified lettuce cells contain the ACE2 proteins that act as a ‘viral trap’ in the gum.
Researchers found that using bean powder instead of lettuce cells helped to trap SARS-CoV-2 particles as well as influenza strains and oral viruses such the human papillomavirus and herpesvirus.
The research’s principal investigator, Dr. Henry Daniell of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, told the news agency Reuters that ‘chewing ACE2 gum and ingesting ACE2 protein should minimise infection, protect COVID-19 patients, and prevent transmission’ because ‘the nasal transmission is negligible when compared to oral transmission.’
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