An experiment on human cells shows that cow mucus can reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infection by 70-80%.
- According to the World Health Organization, more than one million new cases of STIs are reported every day worldwide.
- Condoms are one of the most effective methods of protection.
What if the fight against HIV went through the cows? A study recently published in Advanced Science shows that bovine mucus offers protection against infection with the virus responsible for AIDS and against herpes. Lab tests prove that a lube made from cow mucus is 70% effective against HIV and 80% effective against herpes.
Mucus, a natural antiviral substance
Mucus is the liquid produced by the mucous membranes, it sometimes serves as a filter for the body in the presence of dust or smoke, for example. “Mucus is a self-healing gel, which (…) provides protection against viruses by binding to viruses smaller than the mesh size of the gel and clearing them from the mucosal surface through active mucus turnover.”, add the authors of this study, researchers from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. The protein mucin is one of the main compounds of this substance, and is known for its antiviral properties. Cow mucin shares similar properties and is used, in a purified version, to make hydrogels.
The mucus-based lubricating gel tested in the laboratory on human cells
Swedish scientists wanted to test its effectiveness in preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs). They extracted mucus from the salivary glands of cattle, which they turned into a lubricating gel. In a laboratory test, they exposed human epithelial cells, those which cover the internal and external tissues, to HIV: previously, half of the cells had been treated with the gel. 100% of the cells not exposed to the lubricant were infected with HIV, against only 30% of those who received it. For herpes, the results were close: all the cells exposed to the virus, without having been protected by the gel, were infected, against only 20% of the others.
How to explain the effectiveness of this lubricant based on bovine mucus?
“The natural complexity of mucin molecules is why the synthetic gel is so effective in stopping HIV and herpes, without the risk of side effects or resistance development as with other antiviral compounds. says Hongji Yan, biomaterials researcher and lead author of this study. Such properties would be difficult to achieve with a polymer made from scratch.” The mucin proteins present in the gel can also slow down the activation of immune cells, one of the causes of HIV replication in the body in the event of infection. The authors hope that this gel can help curb the spread of sexually transmitted infections. According to them, it could offer protection to people who cannot use a condom, or provide an alternative in the event of failure of one.
