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Objective The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of a chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) and linseed (Linum usitatissimum) saliva substitute in the relief of xerostomia in older participants. Background In elders, xerostomia is a permanent and progressive condition that significantly affects their quality of life. The treatment for progressive xerostomia is currently restricted to palliative measures, and saliva substitutes are indicated. A lack of evidence on the effectiveness of the saliva substitutes in the relief of symptoms of xerostomia has been reported. Materials and methods Seventy-four elderly participants presenting xerostomia of diverse origin were selected. Herbal saliva substitute and carboxymethyl cellulose conventional saliva substitute were tested using a double-blind, randomised, cross-sectional clinical trial. Results Every participant of the study exhibited dry mouth sensation. A sensation of thick saliva was described in 59.5% of the participants. The need for liquid intake to swallow food, the sensation of difficulty in swallowing and the burning sensation in the tongue were observed in 54.1, 56.8 and 27.0% of the participants, respectively. The most prevalent diseases were hypertension, depressive symptoms and arthritis. Results of the clinical tests showed that the herbal saliva substitute produced a greater relief of dry mouth symptoms, thick saliva sensation and the sensation of difficulty in swallowing than the conventional substitute (Wilcoxon test p < 0.05). Conclusions New chamomile- and linseed-based saliva substitute was effective in relieving xerostomia symptoms in older participants of this study.

Background Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic disease of the carbohydrate metabolism that, when not rigorously controlled, compromises systemic and organ integrity, thereby causing renal diseases, blindness, neuropathy, arteriosclerosis, infections, and glandular dysfunction, including the salivary glands. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the qualitative and quantitative parameters of salivary alteration, which are indicators of salivary gland dysfunction, and the level of metabolic control of type 2 diabetes patients. Material and Methods A convenience sample of 74 voluntary patients with type 2 DM was selected, each of whom donated a sample of unstimulated saliva. Salivary parameters such as salivary flow rate, protein concentration, pH, and xerostomia were studied. Results There is a positive relationship between the level of metabolic control measured with HbA1 and the protein concentration in saliva (Spearman rho = 0.329 and p = 0.004). The same assay showed an inverse correlation between HbA1 and pH (Spearman rho = -0.225 and p = 0.05). Conclusions The protein concentration in saliva and, to a lesser extent, the pH may be useful as glandular dysfunction indicators in DM2 patients. Key words:Saliva, type 2 diabetes mellitus, pH, protein concentration, xerostomia.

This study was conducted to establish associations among the Candida carriage rate, the diversity of Candida species carried and the different caries status of preschool children.Sixty-one children between 2 and 5 years of age were examined by a single expert examiner and were divided into three groups, the caries-free, moderate caries and severe caries groups, according to the criteria of the International Caries Detection and Assessment System II (ICDAS). Saliva samples were obtained from the members of each group and were plated on Sabouraud agar plates to assess the Candida carriage rates. CHROMagar Candida medium was used for the preliminary screening. Biochemical testing or PCR/sequencing was conducted to identify the different Candida species in the samples. The differences observed were considered significant if the p value was0.05.The Candida carriage rate and the number of species of this fungus carried were higher in the group with the highest level of caries severity (p 0.05). Whereas Candida albicans was the most predominant Candida species in the saliva of all of the children, C. dubliniensis was identified only in the most caries-affected group in addition to other rare species of Candida non-albicans.A high salivary Candida carriage rate and the presence of specific species of this fungus (such as C. albicans and C. dubliniensis) appear to be related to the severity of caries experienced by preschool children.

doi: 10.1111/j.1741-2358.2012.00626.x Evaluation of the efficacy of two mouthrinses formulated for the relief of xerostomia of diverse origin in adult subjects Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of two new mouthrinses in the reduction of xerostomia-associated symptomatology. Background: Xerostomia is a common chronic health condition that affects a great number of adults and significantly deteriorates quality of life, such that treatment is necessary. Materials and methods: Sixty-seven adult subjects of both sexes presenting xerostomia of diverse origin were selected. Mouthrinses were tested using a double-blind, randomized, cross-over clinical trial with an intervining wash out period. Results: The 100% of subjects presented sensation of dry mouth, and 86% stated sensation of thick saliva. Burning tongue sensation, need to drink liquids to swallow and the sensation of swallowing difficulty were recorded in more than 50% of the patients. The most frequent pathologies in the sample were depression, arthritis, and arterial hypertension. Results of the clinical tests showed that mouthrinse 1 relieves sensation of dry mouth, need to drink liquids, and swallowing difficulty. In contrast, mouthrinse 2 relieves only latter two symptoms. Both rinses were more effective in relieving xerostomia-associated symptomatology in patients taking 3 or more medicines simultaneously. Conclusion: Both mouthrinses were effective in relieving various xerostomia symptoms, could be distributed at a low cost, thereby improving the quality of life of population affected.

The volume of saliva in the mouth of sensory panelists was measured by a dilution assay using a freshly prepared beetroot extract as probe solution. An aliquot of the extract absorbing linearly at 531-nm (probe) was placed in the mouth, mixed with saliva and returned to a clean container within a period of time shorter than the one spanning a single swallowing cycle. Beetroot pigments were neither partitioned into sub-fractions of saliva nor affected spectroscopically by their mixing with saliva. Three-milliliter was the minimum volume of probe per assay for a determination to be reliable. Observed volumes of saliva in the mouth of 13 panelists were distributed over the range 230–1310 μL with a median of 704 μL and a mean and standard deviation of 696 ± 312 μL. All but one of the subjects displayed salivary volumes within 1.41 standard deviations from the mean. Duplicate determinations per subject showed a median deviation of 13.5%. The procedure yielded highly repeatable and reproducible measurements.

Objective The study was aimed to investigate whether the occurrence of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) 2 and 9 in parotid saliva of juvenile recurrent parotitis (JRP) patients is associated with the degree of glandular involvement. Study design Thirty-three JRP patients were included. Involvement of parotid gland was assessed by sialography. Parotid saliva was assayed for MMP-2 and MMP-9 by zymography. Medical charts were examined for number of recurrences, disease laterality, and time of follow-up. Logistic regression analysis between occurrence of either MMP, the clinical parameters, and sialographic staging was conducted. Results None of the clinical parameters under analysis were found to be associated with degree of sialographic involvement. Statistical associations were found between presence of MMP-9 and MMP-2 in parotid saliva and sialographic stage (P = .017; odds ratio [OR] 6.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4-30.4; and P = .009; OR 6.1; 95% CI 1.6-23.7; respectively). Conclusions Occurrence frequency of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in parotid saliva from affected glands of JRP patients was associated with degree of gland damage.

Infantile chronic recurrent parotitis (ICRP) is an insidious disease whose etiopathogenesis remains an enigma. Alterations in the physical appearance of parotid saliva from ICRP patients have been frequently reported. However, sialochemical studies in regard to ICRP are very rare. The aim of this study was to determine whether saliva of ICRP patients presents major physicochemical and biochemical alterations compared with saliva from paired healthy controls. Parotid, whole, and submandibular/sublingual saliva was collected at an asymptomatic stage from 33 ICRP patients (5-16 y old, both sexes) and from 33 sex- and age-matched healthy controls. Saliva was analyzed for protein concentration, mode of protein diffusion on cellulose membranes, unidimensional sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis protein profiles and zymographic profiles of metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9). Parotid saliva of ICRP patients showed an increased protein concentration, altered mode of protein diffusion, a higher frequency of polypeptide bands of 43, 37, 33, 29, 26, 16, and 10 kD, higher asymmetry in the polypeptide profiles of both contralateral parotid saliva, and an increase in the frequency of MMP-2 and MMP-9. Parotid saliva of patients with ICRP is molecularly altered with respect to normal saliva. Some of the molecular differences could be related to the etiopathogenesis of the disease.

Electrophoretic polypeptide profiles of normal human saliva differ markedly between different reports. Since both methodological variations and polymorphism may explain these differences, in this study we aimed to establish whether or not the salivary electrophoretic polypeptide profiles of subjects from a healthy population share discrete molecular features. To this end, parotid, submandibular/sublingual and whole salivas were collected separately from each of 40 young and 34 elderly clinically healthy adults and processed for SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Coomassie blue staining. Each type of glandular saliva displayed a different group of invariant (i.e. present in every subject) electrophoretic polypeptide bands while whole saliva showed a profile that reflected mostly the combined contribution of the major salivary glands. Some minor variant (i.e. absent in some subjects) bands were identified in each type of saliva. Regarding those interindividual variations, no age- or sex-dependence was appreciated. Altogether, these results demonstrate the occurrence of distinctive electrophoretic polypeptide patterns, in addition to some minor variations, for each type of normal saliva, thus providing a background for further populational studies on salivary polypeptide profiles.

Background. Subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) require an adequate glycemic control to avoid diabetic complications. Currently, saliva biomarkers are used as a diagnostic tool and can be indicative of the degree of progression and control of various diseases. Several studies indicate thatα-2-macroglobulin levels are elevated in diabetic patients.Methods. 120 subjects with DM2 were enrolled and classified into two groups according to their glycemic control (percentage of glycated hemoglobin-A1c (HbA1c), 7% inadequate glycemic control group). The relationship betweenα-2-macroglobulin levels from saliva samples and HbA1c was subsequently evaluated.Results. We found a positive correlation betweenα-2-macroglobulin and HbA1c (r=0.778andP<0.0001). Area under the receivers operating characteristic (ROC) curve ofα-2-macroglobulin indicated a positive discrimination threshold ofα-2-macroglobulin (AUC = 0.903, CI 95%: 0.847–0.959,P<0.0001) to diagnose glycemic control.Conclusions. Our data strongly suggest that the level of salivaα-2-macroglobulin is an indicator for the degree of glycemic control in diabetic patients and represents a promising alternative method to evaluate this parameter.

To evaluate the efficacy of two new mouthrinses in the reduction of xerostomía-associated symptomatology.Xerostomia is a common chronic health condition that affects a great number of adults and significantly deteriorates quality of life, such that treatment is necessary.Sixty-seven adult subjects of both sexes presenting xerostomia of diverse origin were selected. Mouthrinses were tested using a double-blind, randomized, cross-over clinical trial with an intervining wash out period.The 100% of subjects presented sensation of dry mouth, and 86% stated sensation of thick saliva. Burning tongue sensation, need to drink liquids to swallow and the sensation of swallowing difficulty were recorded in more than 50% of the patients. The most frequent pathologies in the sample were depression, arthritis, and arterial hypertension. Results of the clinical tests showed that mouthrinse 1 relieves sensation of dry mouth, need to drink liquids, and swallowing difficulty. In contrast, mouthrinse 2 relieves only latter two symptoms. Both rinses were more effective in relieving xerostomía-associated symptomatology in patients taking 3 or more medicines simultaneously.Both mouthrinses were effective in relieving various xerostomia symptoms, could be distributed at a low cost, thereby improving the quality of life of population affected.

Chronic administration of isoproterenol (IPR) results in a marked hypertrophy and in the induction of a group of putative proline-rich polypeptides in the mouse parotid glands. Some of these polypeptides (pps C-G) have been considered as molecular markers of the parotid gland enlargement. Given the secretory character of polypeptides C-G, the polypeptide composition of mouse saliva was used to monitor the IPR-induced salivary gland hypertrophy. Whole saliva was collected after an oral administration of pilocarpine (PIL). Under those conditions, PIL provoked a massive salivary secretion both in normal control mice and during the whole course of the IPR-induced gland enlargement. Striking changes in the polypeptide composition of saliva obtained from chronically IPR-stimulated animals were observed. Those changes consisted basically in the appearance and progressive increase in concentration of parotid polypeptides C-G and in the progressive diminution in concentration of a couple of normal salivary polypeptides (polypeptides A-B). The appearance of new polypeptides in saliva could be established unequivocally within the 24 h following the trophic adrenergic stimulation. On the other hand, salivary polypeptides induced in response to a single administration of IPR could be demonstrated as late as 7-9 days after the stimulation. Accordingly, detection of parotid polypeptides C-G in PIL-produced saliva obtained from IPR-stimulated mice has proved to be a highly advantageous method to evaluate salivary gland hypertrophy both at very early stages after the trophic stimulation and late after the occurrence of the trophic episode.

Mouse salivary secretion provoked by single or multiple oral administrations of the cholinergic agent pilocarpine was characterized. An accessory ad hoc device, manipulated by a single operator, was used to collect saliva from various mice simultaneously. A single challenge by pilocarpine in the range 40-400 µg provoked a dose-dependent secretory response. The secretory response lasted for about 40 minutes and was constituted by four clearly defined stages, namely: lag (5-10 min), maximal flow (10 min), slowering (15-20 min) and postsecretory rest. In this response, usual parameters were: maximal flow rate, 30-40 µl/min; total volume of saliva, 250-350 µl/mouse and total salivary protein, about 700 µg/mouse. Temporal desensitization of the secretory response was observed within the first hour following a single stimulation by pilocarpine. However, recurrent stimulations by this agonist given at 24-h intervals produced an equally intense secretory response, thus suggesting resensitization during that period. The polypeptide composition of salivas obtained from a number of mice after a first pilocarpine stimulation were undistinguishable from each other. That salivary polypeptide pattern was also observed in a series of salivas obtained day by day from single animals stimulated at 24-h intervals by the agonist. Thus, both the characteristics of the secretory response as well as the polypeptide composition of mouse saliva after short-term or long-term challenges by pilocarpine were found to be highly consistent. Accordingly, these studies open the possibility of accomplishing a systematic molecular typing of saliva from individual living mice either from natural populations or from mice subjected to experimental laboratory conditions Se caracterizó la secreción salival murina producida por administraciones orales únicas o múltiples del agente colinérgico pilocarpina. La saliva fue colectada desde varios ratones a la vez mediante un accesorio diseñado para tal fin y manipulado por un solo operador. Una simple estimulación mediante una dosis del agonista en el rango 40-400 µg provocó una respuesta secretoria dependiente de la dosis. La respuesta secretoria duró alrededor de 40 min y en ella se pudo definir cuatro etapas, a saber: lag (5-10 min), flujo máximo (10 min), enlentecimiento (15-20 min) y reposo post-secretorio. En la respuesta, los parámetros usuales fueron: velocidad de flujo máxima, 30-40 µl/min; volumen total de saliva, 250-350 µl/ratón y proteína salival total, alrededor de 700 µg/ratón. Se observó desensibilización temporal de la respuesta secretoria durante la primera hora siguiente a una estimulación simple por pilocarpina. Sin embargo, estimulaciones sucesivas a intervalos de 24 h con este agonista produjeron una respuesta secretoria igualmente intensa, lo que sugirió resensibilización en tales intervalos. La composición polipeptídica de cada una de las salivas obtenidas a partir de una serie de ratones estimulados por una vez con pilocarpina fueron indistinguibles entre sí. Tal patrón polipeptídico salival también fue observado en series de salivas obtenidas dia a dia a partir de ratones únicos estimulados con pilocarpina a intervalos de 24 h. De esta manera, tanto las características de la respuesta secretoria como la composición polipeptídica de la saliva murina obtenida mediante estimulaciones únicas o múltiples con pilocarpina resultaron altamente consistentes. Así, estos estudios abren la posibilidad de emprender una tipificación molecular sistemática de la saliva de ratones individuales vivos obtenidos ya sea de poblaciones naturales o de aquellos sometidos a condiciones experimentales de laboratorio

ResumenIntroducciónLa xerostomía es una condición crónica que afecta a un alto porcentaje de adultos mayores, que deben ser tratados paliativamente mediante el uso de sustitutos salivales; sin embargo estos productos no se encuentran disponibles en el mercado nacional.ObjetivosEvaluar la eficacia de un nuevo sustituto salival a base de manzanilla y semillas de linaza en la disminución de la sintomatología asociada a xerostomía en individuos adultos mayores.MetodologíaSe incluyeron 34 voluntarios adultos mayores con xerostomía de diverso origen. Un nuevo sustituto salival a base de manzanilla y semillas de linaza y un sustituto convencional a base de carboximetilcelulosa fueron testados en un ensayo clínico aleatorizado, cruzado, con período de blanqueamiento.ResultadosEl 100% de los sujetos presentó sensación de boca seca, el 58,8% sensación de saliva espesa, el 52,9% necesitaba beber líquidos para deglutir los alimentos y tenía sensación de dificultad para tragar. La sensación de ardor lingual se registró en el 23,5% de los individuos. Las enfermedades más frecuentes en la muestra analizada fueron la hipertensión arterial y la artritis. Los resultados del ensayo clínico indican que el sustituto salival a base de manzanilla y semillas de linaza disminuye significativamente la sensación de boca seca y la sensación de saliva espesa (test de Wilcoxon p