Effects of dihydrocapsiate on salivary secretion in healthy subjects: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31989/ffhd.v15i6.1657Abstract
Purpose: We aimed to assess the effects of dihydrocapsiate (DHC), a non-pungent capsaicin analog, on salivary secretion in individuals experiencing mild dry mouth symptoms. Given the function of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) in salivation, we hypothesized that DHC, which activates TRPV1 with minimal irritation, could serve as a novel therapeutic agent for dry mouth (xerostomia).
Methods: A randomized, double-blind, crossover trial was conducted involving healthy adults aged 40 to 70 years who reported a tendency toward dry mouth. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a test tablet containing 0.8 mg DHC or a placebo tablet. Saliva secretion was measured using a spitting method before and after tablet administration, with assessments conducted in the morning to minimize diurnal variations. For statistical comparisons, paired Student’s t-tests were applied.
Results: DHC intake significantly increased salivary secretion relative to the placebo group (p < 0.05). No adverse events or significant changes in safety parameters, including body weight, BMI, or blood pressure, were recorded during the study.
Conclusion: DHC effectively enhanced salivary secretion while minimizing the pungency associated with capsaicin. Its ability to stimulate TRPV1 with low irritation suggests potential as a safe and convenient therapeutic option for individuals experiencing dry mouth.
Novelty: This study is the first randomized, placebo-controlled trial to demonstrate that dihydrocapsiate (DHC), a non-pungent capsaicin analog, significantly enhances salivary secretion in healthy individuals. These findings suggest that DHC may serve as a novel and tolerable functional ingredient for the management of oral dryness.
Keywords: dihydrocapsiate (DHC), capsaicin, TRPV1, salivary secretion, xerostomia, dry mouth.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Functional Foods in Health and Disease
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Any manuscripts or substantial parts of it, submitted to the journal must not be under consideration by or previously published in any other journal or citable form. Authors are required to ensure that no material submitted as part of a manuscript infringes existing copyrights or the rights of a third party. In submitting one's article in any form, the author has assigned the FFC publishing rights and has agreed to an automatic transfer of the copyright to the publisher. This is so that the FFC may create print option journals, for example, at the FFC’s discretion. If the author wishes to distribute their works by means outside of the FFC, for example within their community, they will have to place a request.
Correspondence concerning articles published in Functional Foods in Health and Disease is encouraged. While derivative works (adaptations, extensions on the current work, etc.) are allowed, distribution of the modified material is not allowed without permission from the FFC.