A pH curve of human resting saliva sampled with a small paper slip and its medical application

Optical pH Sensor Based on Immobilization Anthocyanin from Dioscorea alata L. onto Polyelectrolyte Complex Pectin-Chitosan Membrane for a Determination Method of Salivary pH

A simple optical pH sensor based on immobilization, Dioscorea alata L. anthocyanin methanol extract, onto a pectin–chitosan polyelectrolyte complex (pectin–chitosan PEC), has been successfully fabricated. The optical pH sensor was manufactured as a membrane made of pectin–chitosan PEC and the extracted anthocyanin. This sensor has the highest sensitivity of anthocyanin content at 0.025 mg/L in phosphate buffer and 0.0375 mg/L in citrate buffer. It also has good reproducibility with a relative standard deviation (%RSD) of 7.7%, and gives a stable response at time values greater than 5 min from exposure in a buffer solution, and the sensor can be utilized within five days from its synthesis. This optical pH sensor has been employed to determine saliva pH of people of different ages and showed no significant difference when compared to a potentiometric method.

Evaluation of salivary acetylcholinesterase and pseudocholinesterase in patients with Alzheimer's disease: A case-control study

AIM

The aim of this study was to evaluate acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and pseudocholinesterase (PChE) in whole saliva in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and in healthy subjects. Saliva has a high potential for keeping track of general health and diseases. AD is a type of dementia with reduction in brain cholinergic markers that causes memory, thinking, and behavior problems. Up to 90% decrease in AChE activity has been observed in AD.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Thirty healthy subjects and 30 patients with AD participated in this study. Saliva samples were collected from 8 to 10 am. AChE and PChE of saliva were assessed by the Ellman method. Statistical comparison was performed using SPSS 16 for t-test. The activity of AChE and PChE significantly increased in the group with AD compared to the healthy subjects. Sex had no effect on the activities of these enzymes. No correlation existed between the duration of illness and enzymatic activity. The enzyme levels reduced with age.

CONCLUSION

AChE and PChE levels were increased in saliva samples of patients with AD. Therefore, saliva has the potential for being used for the purpose of biomarker evaluation to replace cerebrospinal fluid in patients with AD.

Chronophysiological features of the normal mineral composition of human saliva

BACKGROUND

The high rate of changes in the composition of saliva can be used for the monitoring of various biorhythms in order to study the physiological characteristics of the human body.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE

The study of the dynamics of the near-24-h mineral composition of saliva in men and women.

METHODS

The study involved 20 men and 20 women, age 23.1±0.9years. Saliva samples were collected every 3h during the day within 10min. The mineral composition of saliva was defined by the capillary electrophoresis technique. The cross-group differences were evaluated using the non-parametric criterion.

RESULTS

It was shown that the maximum values of the mineralizing capacity fall to 7-8 a.m. and 18-19p.m., which is due to the change in the rate of saliva secretion. The near-24-h dynamics of the saliva pH practically coincides with the dynamics of the Ca/P ratio; there are evident maxima at 9:00 am and 15-18p.m. The values of the Na/K ratio are out of phase with the Ca/P ratio. There is one maximum, corresponding to 3 am in the night, and one minimum at 12-13p.m., which is due to a decreased level of sodium and increased potassium concentration. Statistically valid differences between men and women in pH (p<0.001), concentrations of inorganic phosphorus (p<0.001), as well as Ca/P coefficient (p=0.011) were identified.

CONCLUSION

The dynamics of the studied parameters during 24h is characterized by pronounced intervals.

Antibacterial effect of water-soluble chitosan on representative dental pathogens Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacilli brevis

Dental caries is still a major oral health problem in most industrialized countries. The development of dental caries primarily involves Lactobacilli spp. and Streptococcus mutans. Although antibacterial ingredients are used against oral bacteria to reduce dental caries, some reports that show partial antibacterial ingredients could result in side effects.

Salivary malondialdehyde levels in clinically healthy and periodontal diseased individuals

BACKGROUND

Lipid peroxidation (LPO) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several pathologic disorders, including periodontal disease. Malondialdehyde (MDA) is one of many low molecular weight end products of LPO.

OBJECTIVE

This study was conducted to evaluate salivary MDA levels in generalized chronic periodontitis (GCP) subjects.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The MDA levels were measured in the saliva of 104 subjects, aged 18-65 years. Three groups with different degrees of severity of GCP were established: 30 early (group 1), 30 moderate (group 2) and 14 severe (group 3). Thirty individuals (aged 25-29 years) with clinically healthy periodontium were served as control. Unstimulated whole saliva samples from study subjects were collected, centrifuged at 3000 g for 15 min and were then stored at -70 degrees C until analysed. The MDA level was determined with 2-thiobarbituric acid by a colorimetric method at 532 nm.

RESULTS

A significant increase in the MDA level existed in the samples obtained from the three groups of patients compared to the control subjects.

CONCLUSION

Increased MDA levels are with closely associated with the severity and patients status of periodontal disease that has not been previously reported. The detection of salivary MDA level may provide additional advantages in elucidating the pathogenesis of periodontal disease.

Retrospective investigation on management of salivary hypofunction concerning with serum zinc content

Monthly measurement of the resting saliva was performed in addition to psychosomatic therapy for patients visiting our clinic who were suspected of having decreased activity of carbonic anhydrase. According to the serum zinc content, patients were divided into a low serum zinc group (n=22) and a mid-high serum zinc group (n=12). Patients in the former group were advised to improve mastication efficiency and to consume more food with a high zinc content. After 6.6+/-5.6 months, serum zinc increased from 75.6 to 90.9 mug/dl in the former group, whereas no change was found in the latter group, though symptoms improved in the both groups. Improvement in salivary secretion was noticed in DeltapH(I) in the former group, and a decrease in K(+) concentration was found in the latter group.

Recovery of a patient with a recurrent dysgeusia monitored by salivary variables and serum zinc content

A patient with dysgeusia of phantom sweetness was monthly monitored by a recently developed measurement of resting saliva besides of psychosomatic therapy since there were indications to be suspected declines in the serum zinc content and carbonic anhydrase activity at the first saliva inspection. The decline of serum zinc content was later supported by a chemical analysis of the blood, which was 83 &mgr;g dl(-1). After the patient enhanced her nutritional intake of zinc rich foods, her serum zinc content rose to 88 &mgr;g dl(-1) and her symptoms improved. However, when the concentration of her saliva Na(+) increased over 10 mM, the disappearance and reappearance of the phantom sweetness symptom repeated. Thus she was advised to maintain a medium level of Na(+) concentration by maintaining amount of weekly exercise, which contributed to obtain continuous disappearance of the phantom sweetness over 10 months. Her serum zinc content was between 94 and 101 &mgr;g dl(-1) in the latter period, and Na(+) concentration was maintained around average value of young adults (6.3 mM). This paper also reports the correlation between subjective intensity of phantom sweetness and Na(+) concentration of saliva with a phase delay of 1 month.