Scientists are researching a toothpaste that can help patients with peanut allergies. The researchers have just completed their first human clinical trials on the experimental medication, and the results are promising.
Oral immunotherapy is a typical technique to treat a peanut allergy. Therefore, keeping the concept of oral immunotherapy in mind, scientists from the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI) have created a new toothpaste. It delivers minute amounts of allergenic peanut proteins directly to the mouth when people brush their teeth.
They recruited 32 people with a peanut allergy aged 18 to 55 for a randomized, placebo-controlled experiment. The subjects were given either an escalating amount of peanut toothpaste or a placebo for 48 weeks. The scientists also performed food tests and blood tests on the participants to analyze their “exploratory biomarkers.” Moreover, it helps provide a clear indicator of how a person’s immune system is responding to treatment.
One of the primary goals of a phase I clinical trial is to determine whether or not the medication is safe, and the toothpaste passed the test. The study’s guinea pigs tolerated the medication well, with very minor adverse effects recorded. Furthermore, most participants followed the treatment plan, showing that it would be simple and convenient for the general public.
The author of the study, William Berger said,
We noted that 100 percent of those being treated with the toothpaste consistently tolerated the pre-specified protocol highest dose
No moderate nor severe systemic reactions occurred in active participants. Non-systemic adverse reactions were mostly local (oral itching), mild, and transient. There was 97 percent adherence to treatment with no dropouts due to study medication,
