New Delhi: A chewing gum made using a common bean plant is drawing attention from researchers for its potential to tackle viruses and bacteria associated with oral cancers. Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania have found that extracts from the specially formulated gum can trap human papillomavirus, or HPV, in saliva samples and reduce the levels of certain harmful bacteria linked to poor cancer outcomes.
The findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports in February 2026, offer a possible new approach to managing infections associated with head and neck cancers. But there is an important distinction: the research was conducted on samples collected from patients, not through a clinical trial in which people chewed the gum. It has not yet been shown to clear HPV infections or prevent cancer in humans.
What is HPV and how is it linked to cancer?
Human papillomavirus is a group of more than 200 related viruses. Some types cause common warts, while others are classified as high-risk because persistent infections can lead to cancer.
HPV is associated with several cancers, including cervical, anal, penile and certain head and neck cancers. In the mouth and throat, it is particularly linked to oropharyngeal cancer, which affects the back of the throat, including the tonsils and base of the tongue.
HPV-16 is one of the high-risk types associated with these cancers. The virus can spread through intimate contact, including oral sex.
Most HPV infections disappear naturally within one or two years as the immune system controls the virus. However, infections that persist can cause changes in cells over time, eventually leading to cancer in some people.
How does the chewing gum work?
The research team, led by Henry Daniell at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Dental Medicine, developed a gum using lablab beans, also known as hyacinth beans.
The gum contains a naturally occurring antiviral protein called FRIL, short for Flt3 receptor-interacting lectin. The protein binds to structures on the surface of viruses, causing them to clump together into larger aggregates.
The idea is that trapping viruses in this way could reduce their ability to interact with and enter human cells.
Researchers tested the gum against saliva and oral-rinse samples collected from patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. In laboratory tests, the FRIL-containing gum aggregated around 93 per cent of HPV detected in saliva samples and 80 per cent in oral-rinse samples.
The team also developed a version containing protegrin-1, an antimicrobial peptide designed to target harmful bacteria.
What did the researchers find?
The study examined three microbes associated with head and neck cancer outcomes–HPV, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum.
The two bacteria have been linked to poorer outcomes in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, particularly in recurrent or metastatic disease.
When researchers treated patient samples with the bean gum containing protegrin-1, levels of the two bacteria fell by more than 99 per cent.
The researchers also found that the treatment had a more limited effect on certain beneficial bacteria, including Streptococcus species, suggesting that it could selectively target harmful microbes rather than disrupt the entire oral microbiome.
These findings are significant because conventional cancer treatments, including radiation, can affect healthy tissues and the balance of microbes in the mouth.
Is the gum ready to be used as a treatment?
The biggest limitation is that the researchers tested the gum on saliva and oral-rinse samples outside the human body. They did not establish whether chewing it regularly can eliminate HPV infections, prevent cancer or improve survival rates.
The researchers themselves have called for further clinical trials to establish its safety, dosage and effectiveness in people.
The findings also do not mean that every HPV infection leads to cancer. Most infections clear naturally, and persistent infection with a high-risk strain is the greater concern.
For now, the gum represents an experimental approach to reducing microbes associated with head and neck cancers, rather than an established treatment. HPV vaccination remains an important preventive measure, while the new research opens another avenue that scientists hope to investigate further.