Saliva substitutes

Olsson, H. and T. Ax611 (1991). Objective and subjective efficacy of saliva substitutes containing mucin and carboxymethylcellulose, Scand. J. Dent. Res., 99, 316-319. 

When saliva production is insufficient, many different liquids can be used. They vary from glycerol with citric acid to the saliva substitutes already mentioned in Sect. 7.1. Citric acid stimulates the saliva production in the salivary glands, and therefore raises the amount of saliva in the mouth. If there is damage to the oral mucosa, it is best to avoid ethanol and propylene glycol, because these solvents may cause irritation, A German hospital developed an... 

The extraparotid saliva of Macaque monkeys contains a glycoprotein (mol. wt. 9.6 X 10 ) capable of inhibition of the precipitation of calcium phosphate. The major glycoproteins obtained from Bonnet monkey cervical mucous of the peri-ovulatory and of the pre-menstrual phases differ mainly in the point of linkage of the terminal neuraminic acid residues and of the substitution of the... 

At the level of chemical compounds, one compound may substitute for another, and the activity still remains the same. Different numbers and types of compounds in a single secretion may have the same effect. The puberty delay pheromone in female mice and the castoreum of beaver are examples. In the mouse, of six adrenal-dependent compounds, two acetates are active together, one pyrazine by itself, and all three together with no increase in activity (Novotny et al.). In beaver castoreum, a mixture of 12 neutrals (monoterpenes) released the same activity as 14 phenolics (Schulte et al. 1994). A third example is the combination of androstenol and androstenone that form the boar pheromone in the male pig s saliva. Both induce the sow s mating stance alone and in combination (Melrose et al., 1971). 

Kahn RA, LeBouquin R, Pinot F, Benveniste I, Durst F (2001) A conservative amino acid substitution alters the regiospecificity of CYP94A2, a fatty avid hydroxylase from the plant Vida saliva. Arch Biochem Biophys 391 180-187... 

Not only chemotherapy, but some other medicines can diminish saliva production. In these patients saUva substitutes are very popular to reduce mouth dryness. These are Over The Counter (OTC)-preparations with mucine or viscous solutions with electrolytes [3]. Examples are Xialine and Saliveze . The result of these preparations is often no better than (sugar free) chewing gum. 

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