According to scientists, a lubricant created from cow mucus could protect against HIV and herpes.
Experiments in the laboratory demonstrated that the gel, which would be administered in the same manner as presently available products, might combat sexually transmitted illnesses.
Human cells initially treated with lubricant were 70 to 80% less susceptible to HIV and herpes infection.
The researchers stated that their ‘promising’ invention could decrease the spread of STIs if made available to the public after additional testing.
Mucus, which is found in the nose, throat, and esophagus, traps bacteria, viruses, and debris to prevent them from reaching the lungs and causing damage.
Mucus contains defensive proteins that aid in the destruction of pathogens and their expulsion from the body via coughing and sneezing.
Mucin, the primary protein in mucus, is believed to possess antiviral capabilities.
Researchers from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden investigated whether mucus could prevent STIs from entering and spreading throughout the body.
The group, led by researcher Hongji Yan, collected mucus from cow salivary glands and converted it into a lubricant containing mucin.
The team next exposed human epithelial cells, which line the inner surface of the body, to HIV-1, the most prevalent form of the virus, and HSV-2, which causes genital herpes, in a petri dish.
Half of the cells were initially treated with the gel.
Two days after removing the gel from the cells that had been treated with it, the researchers exposed them to the viruses.
The results, which were published in the journal Advanced Science, indicate that just 30% of cells combined with lubricant and HIV were infected.
Comparatively, 100% of human cells exposed to HIV alone became infected.
Comparatively, just 20% of human cells exposed to the gel and HPV became infected, compared to 100% of those exposed to the virus alone.
This, according to the researchers, indicates that the gel prevented the spread of HIV by 70% and herpes by 80%.
According to scientists, the lubricant works by ‘trapping’ the virus particles and removing them from the body, mimicking the self-healing’ function that mucus naturally offers in the body.
Mucin in the gel also inhibits the activation of immune cells, which are known to promote the multiplication of HIV in the body, according to the research group.
According to the researchers, there is little risk of side effects or antiviral resistance if the lubricant is used by humans because mucin is already present in the body.
Mr. Yan stated that the gel could assist individuals in “gaining more control of their sexual health.
He stated, “It could provide protection when condoms are not an option, or as backup protection in the event of condom failure or improper use.”
It could be utilized in both female-to-male and male-to-male sexual encounters.
Currently, people are recommended to use condoms and be tested before having sex with a new partner to prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Last year, over 3,000 persons in the United Kingdom were diagnosed with HIV, while over 20,000 people in England were diagnosed with genital herpes.
In the United States, around 35,000 people are diagnosed with HIV each year, while an estimated 570,000 contract genital herpes.
Before the introduction of Covid, the incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) had been gradually increasing, but lockdowns led to a natural drop in STI rates, as people were less able to engage in casual sex and flings.
