Astro Hacker News - Bioengineered chewing gum may offer a way to fight HPV and other microbes

wxw |next [-]

Tangentially related, apparently xylitol gum can reduce cavity risk by killing off bacteria (which cannot digest but cannot differentiate xylitol from regular sugar) in the mouth.

mdasen |root |parent [-]

Xylitol is really cool that way. The bacteria waste energy trying to convert it to a form they can use, but they just end up with at a dead end with xylitol-5-phosphate. Once they realize that they need to get rid of it, they convert it back to xylitol (so it can cross the membrane easier and probably to keep the phosphate). Of course, that means the xylitol is back to fool some other nearby bacteria into wasting its energy.

They end up wasting their energy on work that won't help them reproduce and needing to waste more energy getting rid of it.

MengerSponge |root |parent [-]

In that way I'm like a bacteria. "Ah beans, gotta undo all this work"

noisy_boy |next |previous [-]

Alternative form of delivery required for Singapore.

grokcodec |next |previous [-]

Not worth the time of day until it can be demonstrated that there is a net health benefit. Precautionary Principle FTW.

fsckboy |root |parent [-]

humans evolved to have risk seekers and risk avoiders. some people try it, the other people watch.

VladVladikoff |next |previous [-]

I wonder if chewing mastic would be as effective?

shevy-java |previous [-]

Sounds like an ad. "Eat this gum, it is so healthy."

stogot |root |parent [-]

Gum is often made of plastics so won’t be surprised if cancerous themselves

fernly |root |parent |next [-]

It says, "involving chewing gum made from lablab beans (bean gum)".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lablab --

Taiwanese researchers found that a carbohydrate-binding protein (i.e. a legume lectin) from lablab beans effectively blocks the infections of influenza viruses and SARS-CoV-2.[60] Researchers from Finland and USA found that extracts from chewing gum manufactured from lablab bean seeds had broad-spectrum anti-viral properties, likely due to the binding action of Flt3 Receptor Interacting Lectin (FRIL) on viruses; the anti-viral effect was similar to that of purified FRIL

jerbearito |root |parent [-]

Lol they didn't read the article.

dyauspitr |root |parent |previous [-]

Hunh I always assumed it was just some kind of modified natural rubber but it’s literally plastic (PVAc, PIB) that release microplastics into the saliva.

nomel |root |parent [-]

Not all is, including the one mentioned in the article. There are many "natural" chewing gum brands, that use plant based gum. You can buy boxes Amazon, or usually find them in the candy aisle of higher end grocery stores. You're probably not going to find it in a gas station/convenient store.