Saliva is the watery and usually frothy substance produced in the mouths of humans and most other animals. Human beings, humans or man (Origin 1590–1600 L homō man OL hemō the earthly one (see Humus Saliva is produced in and secreted from the salivary glands. The salivary glands in mammals are exocrine glands that produce saliva Human saliva is composed of 98% water, the remainder of which includes electrolytes, mucus, antibacterial compounds, and various enzymes. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. An electrolyte is any substance containing free Ions that behaves as an electrically conductive medium In vertebrates mucus is a slippery secretion produced by and covering Mucous membranes It is a viscous Colloid containing Antiseptic enzymes (such as Antiseptics (from Greek αντί - anti, '"against" + σηπτικός - septikos, "putrefactive" are antimicrobial Enzymes are Biomolecules that catalyze ( ie increase the rates of Chemical reactions Almost all enzymes are Proteins ^[1] As part of the initial process of food digestion, the enzymes in the saliva break down some of the starch and fat in the food at the molecular level. Saliva also breaks down food caught in the teeth, protecting them from bacteria that cause decay. Furthermore, saliva lubricates and protects the teeth, the tongue, and the tender tissues inside the mouth.

Various species have evolved special uses for saliva that go beyond predigestion. Some swifts use their gummy saliva to build their nests. The swifts are a family Apodidae, of highly aerial Birds They are superficially similar to Swallows but are actually not closely related to those Some Aerodramus swiftlet nests are made only from saliva and used to make bird's nest soup. Aerodramus is a Genus of small dark cave-nesting Birds in the Collocaliini tribe of the Swift family Swiftlets or cave swiftlets are Birds contained within the four genera Aerodramus, Hydrochous, Schoutedenapus and Bird's nest soup is a delicacy in Chinese cuisine. A few species of swift, the cave swifts, are renowned for building the saliva nests used to ^[2] Cobras, vipers, and certain other members of the venom clade hunt with venomous saliva injected by fangs. Toxicofera (Greek for "those who bear Toxins quot is a hypothetical Clade which represents about 4600 species (nearly 60% of extant Some arthropods, such as spiders and caterpillars, create thread from salivary glands.

Contents 1 Functions 1.1 Digestion 1.2 Disinfectants 2 Stimulation 3 Daily salivary output 4 Contents 5 References 6 External links

Functions

Digestion

The digestive functions of saliva include moistening food, and helping to create a food bolus, so it can be swallowed easily. Saliva contains the enzyme amylase that breaks some starches down into maltose and dextrin. Enzymes are Biomolecules that catalyze ( ie increase the rates of Chemical reactions Almost all enzymes are Proteins Amylase is an Enzyme that breaks Starch down into Sugar. Amylase is present in human Saliva, where it begins the chemical process Starch, CAS # 9005-25-8 Chemical formula (C6H10O5n is a Polysaccharide Maltose, or malt sugar is a Disaccharide formed from two units of Glucose joined with an α(1→4 linkage Dextrins are a group of low-molecular-weight Carbohydrates produced by the Hydrolysis of Starch. Thus, digestion of food occurs within the mouth, even before food reaches the stomach. In Human anatomy, the stomach is a J-shaped hollow muscular organ of the Gastrointestinal tract involved in the second phase of Digestion, following Salivary glands also secrete enzymes (salivary lipase) to start fat digestion. ^[3]

Disinfectants

A common belief is that saliva contained in the mouth has natural disinfectants, which leads people to believe it is beneficial to "lick their wounds". Disinfectants are Antimicrobial agents that are applied to non-living objects to destroy Microorganisms, the process of which is known as disinfection. Researchers at the University of Florida at Gainesville have discovered a protein called nerve growth factor (NGF) in the saliva of mice. The University of Florida ( Florida or UF) is a public land-grant, sea-grant, space-grant major Research Gainesville is the largest City in and County seat of Alachua County, Florida, United States. Proteins are large Organic compounds made of Amino acids arranged in a linear chain and joined together by Peptide bonds between the Carboxyl Nerve growth factor ( NGF) is a small secreted Protein which induces the differentiation and survival of particular target Neurons (nerve A mouse (plural mice) is a small Animal that belongs to one Wounds doused with NGF healed twice as fast as untreated and unlicked wounds; therefore, saliva can help to heal wounds in some species. NGF has not been found in human saliva; however, researchers find human saliva contains such antibacterial agents as secretory IgA, lactoferrin, and lactoperoxidase. Antiseptics (from Greek αντί - anti, '"against" + σηπτικός - septikos, "putrefactive" are antimicrobial Immunoglobulin A ( IgA) is an Antibody playing a critical role in mucosal immunity Lactoferrin (LF also known as lactotransferrin (LTF Lactoperoxidase is a Peroxidase Enzyme found in Milk. This enzyme has antimicrobial and antioxidant properties ^[4] It has not been shown that human licking of wounds disinfects them, but licking is likely to help clean the wound by removing larger contaminants such as dirt and may help to directly remove infective bodies by brushing them away. Therefore, licking would be a way of washing, useful if purer water isn't available to the animal or person.

The mouth of animals is the habitat of many bacteria, some pathogenic. A pathogen (from Greek πάθος pathos "suffering passion" and γἰγνομαι (γεν- gignomai (gen- "I give birth to" infectious Some diseases, such as herpes, can be transmitted through the mouth. Animal (including human) bites are routinely treated with systemic antibiotics because of the risk of septicemia. In modern usage an antibiotic is a Chemotherapeutic agent with activity against Microorganisms such as Bacteria, fungi or Protozoa Sepsis is a serious medical condition characterized by a whole-body inflammatory state (called a Systemic inflammatory response syndrome or SIRS caused

Recent research suggests that the saliva of birds is a better indicator of avian influenza than are faecal samples. For the H5N1 subtype of Avian influenza see H5N1. Avian influenza, sometimes Avian flu, and commonly Bird flu refers Feces, faeces, or fæces (see spelling differences) is a waste product from an animal's digestive tract expelled through the Anus ^[5]

Stimulation

The production of saliva is stimulated both by the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic. The Sympathetic Nervous System ( SNS) is a branch of the Autonomic nervous system along with the Enteric nervous system and Parasympathetic nervous The parasympathetic Nervous system ( PSNS) is a division of the Autonomic nervous system (ANS along with the Sympathetic nervous system ^[6]

The saliva stimulated by sympathetic innervation is thicker, and saliva stimulated parasympathetically is more watery.

Daily salivary output

There has been some disagreement regarding the daily salivary output in a healthy individual. Today, it is believed that the average person produces approximately 0. 75 l of saliva per day, less than half of the output originally thought produced.

It is produced at a rate of 1-1. 5 l/day. 20ml/hr at rest, 250 ml/hr under stimulated conditions. While sleeping, salivary flow drops to almost zero.

Contents

Produced in salivary glands, human saliva is 98% water, but it contains many important substances, including electrolytes, mucus, antibacterial compounds and various enzymes. The salivary glands in mammals are exocrine glands that produce saliva Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. An electrolyte is any substance containing free Ions that behaves as an electrically conductive medium In vertebrates mucus is a slippery secretion produced by and covering Mucous membranes It is a viscous Colloid containing Antiseptic enzymes (such as Antiseptics (from Greek αντί - anti, '"against" + σηπτικός - septikos, "putrefactive" are antimicrobial Enzymes are Biomolecules that catalyze ( ie increase the rates of Chemical reactions Almost all enzymes are Proteins ^[7]

It is a fluid containing:

• Water
• Electrolytes:
  • 2-21 mmol/L sodium (lower than blood plasma)
  • 10-36 mmol/L potassium (higher than plasma)
  • 1. FLUID ( F ast L ight '''U'''ser '''I'''nterface D esigner is a graphical editor that is used to produce FLTK Source code Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. An electrolyte is any substance containing free Ions that behaves as an electrically conductive medium Sodium (ˈsoʊdiəm is an element which has the symbol Na( Latin natrium, from Arabic natrun) atomic number 11 atomic mass 22 Blood plasma is the Liquid component of Blood, in which the Blood cells are suspended Potassium (pəˈtæsiəm is a Chemical element. It has the symbol K (kalium from qalīy Atomic number 19 and Atomic mass 39 2-2. 8 mmol/L calcium
  • 0. Calcium (ˈkælsiəm is the Chemical element with the symbol Ca and Atomic number 20 08-0. 5 mmol/L magnesium
  • 5-40 mmol/L chloride (lower than plasma)
  • 25 mmol/L bicarbonate (higher than plasma)
  • 1. Magnesium (mægˈniːziəm is a Chemical element with the symbol Mg, Atomic number 12 Atomic weight 24 The chloride Ion is formed when the element Chlorine picks up one Electron to form an Anion (negatively-charged ion Cl&minus In Inorganic chemistry, bicarbonate ( IUPAC -recommended nomenclature hydrogencarbonate) is an intermediate form in the Deprotonation 4-39 mmol/L phosphate
• Mucus. A phosphate, an Inorganic chemical, is a salt of Phosphoric acid. In vertebrates mucus is a slippery secretion produced by and covering Mucous membranes It is a viscous Colloid containing Antiseptic enzymes (such as Mucus in saliva mainly consists of mucopolysaccharides and glycoproteins;
• Antibacterial compounds (thiocyanate, hydrogen peroxide, and secretory immunoglobulin A)
• Various enzymes. Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs or mucopolysaccharides are long unbranched Polysaccharides consisting of a repeating Disaccharide unit Not to be confused with Peptidoglycan. Glycoproteins are proteins that contain Oligosaccharide chains ( Glycans) covalently attached Thiocyanate (also known as sulphocyanate or thiocyanide or rhodanide) is the anion − Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 is a very pale blue liquid which appears colorless in a dilute solution slightly more Viscous than water Immunoglobulin A ( IgA) is an Antibody playing a critical role in mucosal immunity Enzymes are Biomolecules that catalyze ( ie increase the rates of Chemical reactions Almost all enzymes are Proteins There are three major enzymes found in saliva.
  • α-amylase (EC3. Amylase is an Enzyme that breaks Starch down into Sugar. Amylase is present in human Saliva, where it begins the chemical process 2. 1. 1). Amylase starts the digestion of starch and lipase fat before the food is even swallowed. It has a pH optima of 7. pH is the measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a Solution. 4.
  • lysozyme (EC3. Lysozyme is a family of Enzymes ( which damage bacterial cell walls by catalyzing Hydrolysis of 14-beta-linkages between N-acetylmuramic acid and 2. 1. 17). Lysozyme acts to cause lysis in bacteria. Lysozyme is a family of Enzymes ( which damage bacterial cell walls by catalyzing Hydrolysis of 14-beta-linkages between N-acetylmuramic acid and Lysis ( Greek, lysis from lyein = to separate refers to the death of a cell by breaking of the cellular membrane often by viral or osmotic
  • lingual lipase (EC3. Lingual lipase is a member of a family of digestive Enzymes called Lipases EC 3 1. 1. 3). Lingual lipase has a pH optimum ~4. pH is the measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a Solution. 0 so it is not activated till entering an acidic environment.
  • Minor enzymes include salivary acid phosphatases A+B (EC3. 1. 3. 2), N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanine amidase (EC3. 5. 1. 28), NAD(P)H dehydrogenase-quinone (EC1. 6. 99. 2), salivary lactoperoxidase (EC1. 11. 1. 7), superoxide dismutase (EC1. The enzyme superoxide dismutase ( SOD,) catalyzes the Dismutation of Superoxide into Oxygen and Hydrogen peroxide. 15. 1. 1), glutathione transferase (EC2. 5. 1. 18), class 3 aldehyde dehydrogenase (EC1. 2. 1. 3), glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (EC5. 3. 1. 9), and tissue kallikrein (EC3. 4. 21. 35).
• Cells: Possibly as much as 8 million human and 500 million bacterial cells per mL. The presence of bacterial products (small organic acids, amines, and thiols) causes saliva to sometimes exhibit foul odor. Halitosis, oral malodor, breath odor mouth odor foul breath fetor oris fetor ex ore or most commonly bad breath are terms used to describe noticeably unpleasant
• Opiorphin, a newly researched pain-killing substance found in human saliva. Opiorphin is a Chemical compound isolated from Human Saliva. Initial research with Mice shows the compound has a painkilling effect

Different reagents used to determine the content of saliva \1. Molisch test gives a positive result of purple color that is costituent to the presence of carbohydrates

References

External links

• MeSH Saliva

The Medical College of Georgia, also known as MCG, is a public medical Research university located in downtown Augusta Georgia. The Medical College of Georgia, also known as MCG, is a public medical Research university located in downtown Augusta Georgia. Medical Subject Headings ( MeSH) is a huge Controlled vocabulary (or metadata system for the purpose of indexing journal articles and books

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