Physical and biological properties of yam as a saliva substitute.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the viscosity and wettability of a water-soluble extract of yam and its effects on lysozyme and peroxidase activities.


METHODS
Human whole saliva, yam tuber, hen egg-white lysozyme, and bovine lactoperoxidase were used. Viscosity was measured with a cone-and-plate digital viscometer, while wettability was determined by measuring the contact angle. Lysozyme activity was determined by the turbidimetric method. Peroxidase activity was determined using the NbsSCN assay. Hydroxyapatite beads were used as a solid-phase.


RESULTS
The viscosity of the yam solution was proportional to its concentration, with diluted yam solutions at 1:5 and 1:10 in simulated salivary buffer displaying similar viscosity values to unstimulated whole saliva and stimulated whole saliva, respectively. The contact angle of yam solution was not significantly different according to the tested materials or yam concentrations. Contact angles of yam solutions on acrylic resin were higher than those of human saliva. Yam affected lysozyme and peroxidase activities, and those effects were different on the hydroxyapatite surface versus in solution. Hydroxyapatite-adsorbed yam increased subsequent adsorption of lysozyme and peroxidase.


CONCLUSIONS
We objectively confirmed the similarity of the viscoelastic properties of yam and human saliva, suggesting a role for yam in the development of effective saliva substitutes.
Park
Moon-Soo
MS
Department of Oral Medicine and Diagnosis, College of Dentistry, Kangnung-Wonju National University, Kangnung, Republic of Korea.
Chang
Ji-Youn
JY
Kim
Yoon-Young
YY
Kang
Jeong-Hyun
JH
Kho
Hong-Seop
HS
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis; D002417:Cattle; D027742:Dioscorea / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009113:Muramidase / Q000737:chemistry; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000737:chemistry; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D012464:Saliva, Artificial / Q000737:chemistry*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014783:Viscosity; D017155:Wettability
D002241:Carbohydrates; D011506:Proteins; D012464:Saliva, Artificial; D009195:Peroxidase; C421864:hen egg lysozyme; D009113:Muramidase