Temporal gustatory and salivary responses to capsaicin upon repeated stimulation.
Repeated oral stimulation with solutions of 2 ppm capsaicin increased time to maximum intensity, but yielded a decrease in sequential mouth-burn intensity due to a rising minimum irritation rating between stimuli. Two response patterns were observed: for 18 subjects mouth-burn increased, while 14 subjects showed depression upon repeated stimulation. Because of across-subject variability, there was little correlation between parotid salivary response and perceived sensory responses. Capsaicin-stimulated salivary flow was significantly higher than flow stimulated by distilled water in 9 high-flow subjects, but not in 14 low-flow subjects. Oral adaptation to capsaicin may attenuate parotid salivary response, although eaters and noneaters of chili peppers did not differ significantly in their perception of mouth-burn or in salivary flow.
Nasrawi
C W
CW
Department of Food Science and Technology, University of California, Davis 95616.
Pangborn
R M
RM
D002211:Capsaicin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000187:drug effects*; D012472:Salivation / Q000187:drug effects*; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000187:drug effects; D013649:Taste / Q000187:drug effects*; D013650:Taste Buds / Q000187:drug effects*; D014059:Tongue / Q000294:innervation*
D002211:Capsaicin