Composition and functions of saliva table. Where does saliva come from. Saliva buffer systems

Human saliva is a colorless and transparent biological liquid of an alkaline reaction, which is secreted by three large salivary glands: submandibular, sublingual and parotid, and many small glands located in the oral cavity. Its main components are water (98.5%), trace elements and alkali metal cations, as well as acid salts. Wetting the oral cavity, it helps free articulation, protects tooth enamel from mechanical, thermal and cold effects. Under the influence of salivary enzymes, it starts the process of digestion of carbohydrates.

The protective function of saliva is manifested in the following:

• Protection of the oral mucosa from drying out.
• Neutralization of alkalis and acids.
• Due to the content of the protein substance lysozyme in saliva, which has a bacteriostatic effect, regeneration of the epithelium of the oral mucosa occurs.
• Nuclease enzymes, also found in saliva, help protect the body from viral infections.
• Saliva contains enzymes (antithrombins and antithrombinoplastins) that prevent blood clotting.
• Many immunoglobulins contained in saliva protect the body from the possibility of penetration of pathogens.

The digestive function of saliva is to wet the food bolus and prepare it for swallowing and digestion. All this is facilitated by the mucin that is part of the saliva, which glues food into a lump.

Food is present in the oral cavity for an average of about 20 seconds, but despite this, digestion, which begins in the oral cavity, significantly affects the further breakdown of food. After all, when saliva dissolves food substances, it forms taste sensations and largely affects the awakening of appetite.

The chemical processing of food also takes place in the oral cavity. Under the influence of amylase (saliva enzyme), polysaccharides (glycogen, starch) are broken down to maltose, and the next saliva enzyme, maltase, breaks down maltose to glucose.

excretory function. Saliva has the ability to excrete metabolic products of the body. For example, some drugs, uric acid, urea, or salts of mercury and lead can be excreted with saliva. All of them leave the human body at the time of spitting saliva.

trophic function. Saliva is a biological medium that has direct contact with tooth enamel. It is she who is the main source of zinc, phosphorus, calcium and other trace elements necessary for the preservation and development of teeth.

Saliva as an indicator of health status

Recently, the importance of saliva has become even greater - now it is used to diagnose various diseases not only of the oral cavity, but of the whole organism. All that is needed is to collect a few drops of saliva on a cotton swab. Next, a test is carried out, which can reveal the presence of diseases of the oral cavity, the level of alcohol content, the hormonal state of the body, the presence or absence of HIV, and many other indicators of human health.

This test does not bring the patient absolutely no discomfort. Moreover, you can conduct research at home by buying special kits in a pharmacy, which are designed for self-sampling of saliva analysis. After that, it remains only to send them to the laboratory and wait for the results.

This is interesting

• The process of salivation is divided into conditioned reflex and unconditional reflex mechanism. The conditioned reflex process can be caused by any kind, smell of food, sounds associated with its preparation, or by talking and remembering food. The unconditioned reflex process of salivation occurs already in the process of food entering the oral cavity.
• With insufficient saliva, food debris is not completely washed out of the oral cavity, which leads to yellow staining of the teeth.
• The process of salivation decreases when fright or stress occurs, and stops altogether during sleep or anesthesia.
• 0.5 - 2.5 liters is the amount of saliva secreted per day, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the human body.
• If a person is in a calm state, then the rate of saliva secretion does not exceed 0.24 ml / min, and in the process of chewing food, it increases to 200 ml / min.
• In people over 55, the salivation process slows down.
• Insect bites are less painful and pass faster if they are moistened with saliva from time to time.
• Saliva lotions are used to get rid of warts, abscesses and various types of inflammation on the skin, up to ringworm.
• An increased dose of sugar in the blood negatively affects the secretion of saliva.

The quality of saliva and the presence of useful properties in it directly depends on the general condition of the oral cavity, as well as on the health of teeth and gums in particular. Therefore, regular visits to the dentist and compliance with the rules of oral hygiene will allow you to have healthy saliva, which, as it turned out, is very necessary for the human body.

We offer you excerpts from old newspapers that we have collected about the treatment of "hungry saliva" - a very interesting folk practice that has existed in Slavic villages since time immemorial. I must say that people are still being successfully treated with “hungry” saliva and confirmation of this is the recipes collected below.

Recipes for the treatment of "hungry saliva"

Hungry saliva - saliva in the mouth immediately after waking up, on an empty stomach.

I read a lot about the benefits of hungry saliva, and then I myself decided to use its healing power. I want to talk about how I used it. So, waking up in the morning, she began to lubricate her eyes with hungry saliva so that a little of it fell on the eyeball. Lubricated, let it dry and lubricated again. So 10 times in a row. Soon after such procedures, the yellow plaques that were around my eyes disappeared, and my vision also improved a lot - I changed glasses with +4 diopters to +2.

Hungry saliva can also cure warts and papillomas. To do this, in the morning (on an empty stomach), while lying in bed, moisten the middle finger of the right (or left) hand with saliva and rub (without pressure) the saliva into the wart (papilloma) counterclockwise until it is completely absorbed. Repeat 5-10 times, do daily until the warts (papilloma) disappear.

Bones on the legs and growths will come off, if every morning to lubricate them with hungry saliva. Smear with your little finger away from yourself.

Rubbing every morning with hungry saliva eyes, eyelids, face and neck, improve eyesight, get rid of warts and wrinkles.

Barley treatment. As soon as you feel the beginning of inflammation on the eyelid, wipe this place with “hungry” saliva. Wipe every hour. The next morning, use "hungry" saliva three times with an interval of half an hour. And then use regular saliva every hour. Within 2 days the barley will pass.

Eyes - holazium. The eyelid of my left eye suddenly itched, then it went away, it only festered a little. I began to wash with a decoction of chamomile flowers, calendula, dripped albucid. And it seemed to heal. But ... The nucleolus remained red, then turned pale, and a gray bump began to grow. I went to the optometrist, she said what is holazium, and ordered to come to her in a month. When I came back a month later, she gave me a referral for surgery. They put me on a waiting list and told me to come with a blood test for HIV: “Don’t come without a test, they won’t do the operation.” But the analysis was delayed, and I did not go for the operation. The holazium began to grow rapidly, interfered with vision very much and became larger than a pea. I was put back in line. And I suddenly remembered that I read somewhere about the healing properties of hungry human saliva, especially against skin diseases. And I, waking up in the morning, began to lightly rub saliva into the holazium. I was in no hurry to wash. After a week, I noticed that it became soft. And then I began to diligently lubricate it with saliva, and after another week the holazium began to decrease, and soon disappeared completely.

When I went to the ophthalmologist, she looked at her last entry in the medical record regarding the removal of the choliasium. She looked at me. She looked at the card again and asked: “Did you have the operation?” I replied, "No, I didn't." - "But as?" I say that for more than three weeks I smeared it with hungry saliva every morning. The nurse sitting across from her laughed and said, "That's nonsense." And the doctor says: “Yes, I heard that hungry saliva heals lichen.”

Moles. Then she treated the mole in the same way. On the nose, in the corner of the eye, for many years there was a small mole. With age, it began to increase and grew from a grain of wheat. I began to lubricate her with hungry saliva, and she shrunk to her size.

Wen. Some kind of wen appeared on the thigh. It grew larger than a pea and began to interfere when I put on stockings. She began to smear with saliva, and he also disappeared.

Scientific rationale

In an interview with doctor D.V. Naumov "The Myth and Truth about Cholesterol" refers to lipase - a finely dispersed enzyme that works not only in the duodenum. It has also been found in saliva.
Mentions that "... the so-called lysozyme is secreted with saliva - a microbial solvent ...", and candidate of medical sciences I.V. Vorontsov in the article "Dysbacteriosis: kefir for microflora" in HLS (No. 14, 2006). That is, the healing properties of saliva are obvious.

Here is what Nikolai Shchepkin, Doctor of Medicine (Novosibirsk), says about this: “If I had been asked about the healing qualities of saliva five years ago, I would have just laughed in my face. I would say that this is all absurdity and womanish prejudice. However, a man was sent to our institute in the summer of 2004, who first got lost in the taiga, and then became intimately acquainted with a bear. Fortunately, he managed to scare the beast - and he left, but before that he pretty much crushed the peasant. And he, wounded, somehow roamed the forest for five days, until geologists picked him up.

What is amazing: all the wounds on his body were clean! He was weak from blood loss and hunger, but there was no suppuration! And this is a real miracle. Usually, the one who is “clawed”, and even more so, bitten by a bear, even if antibiotics are pierced in time, begins to bend over from sepsis. And here - nothing! And after all, the man did not have any medicines! He said that he treated himself with ... saliva. I had to believe, because in this dramatic situation, he really had nothing more to help himself with.

This incident prompted me to start researching the properties of human saliva. It turned out the following: firstly, it is a unique antiseptic. Saliva taken directly from the mouth is practically sterile: it contains the germ-killing enzyme lysozyme. And also - lipase, which has a bactericidal effect, which until now has been found only in the secret of the duodenum. In addition, low concentrations of saliva contain natural antibiotics, sorbents, and substances that promote tissue regeneration... Until our experiments are completed, I cannot announce our preliminary conclusions. We examine the saliva of people of different ages, dogs, cats. I can say already now: in the saliva of any living being, an amazing healing potential is concentrated! Don't be afraid to lick your wounds! They will definitely stretch!

source

Animals are their own healers and their flair, during the period of the disease, there are exactly those herbs that will help them recover, it still remains a mystery to us. How do they distinguish a useful plant from a poisonous one? And their ability to lick their wounds with their tongue.

One would think that they have nothing else to do, because they cannot buy their own medicines. But that's not the point. Nature took care of our smaller brothers and partly endowed them with the gift of self-healing. The healing properties of saliva have been known since ancient times, but the attitude to this method of treatment is twofold.

Having accidentally pricked or cut ourselves, on an intuitive level, we “lick” the blood that has come out. At the same time, we forget the warnings of doctors that it is dangerous to lick dirty hands, and the mouth contains many pathogenic microbes that, if they enter the wound, can cause it to fester. Animals are unaware of such arguments and therefore heal themselves with their own saliva.

Perhaps the observation of our smaller brothers gave a reason to check the healing properties of the saliva of the person himself, especially the "hungry". Numerous recipes have survived to this day, in which she acts as a healer and is able to cure many ailments. Remember at least the most common beliefs in which medical preparations can be replaced by simple saliva:

In order for the suppuration to pass quickly, you need to suddenly spit in the eye of a person whose barley has come off;

At the first signs of the appearance of barley, it is necessary to lubricate this place with “hungry” saliva;

In order for the ear piercing site to heal faster, it must be lubricated with saliva;

For the speedy healing of the umbilical wound of the baby, healers advised the young mother to lick it with her tongue.

Many will say that this is superstition and ignorance, but this has been used for many centuries and, oddly enough, it “works”.

Healing properties of saliva

To date, there is no strong evidence of the healing properties of saliva. Research in this area is underway, its composition is being studied, and even forecasts are made for sensational discoveries. This does not mean that such a method of treatment has not been studied at all.

Doctor of Medical Sciences Nikolai Shchepkin from Novosibirsk, became interested in the healing properties of saliva after one case. At the beginning of the 21st century, one person was attacked by a bear in the taiga. He survived, but was severely "scratched" by a shaggy beast. Only a few days later he was able to receive medical assistance. At the same time, the doctors were surprised that the wounds did not fester, although by all indications sepsis should have developed. It turns out that the man licked the bleeding wounds with his own saliva.

Many would say it's a happy coincidence. But aren't there too many such coincidences? N. Shchepkin conducted research on the properties of human saliva and found:

She is an antiseptic. It contains the enzyme lysozyme, which is able to destroy bacteria;

Lipase was found in the composition of saliva, which has a bactericidal property. Until recently, it was believed that this enzyme is present only in the secret of the duodenum;

Another components of saliva are sorbents, natural antibiotics, substances that promote tissue regeneration.

The saliva of cats, dogs, people of various age categories continues to be analyzed. Since the healing properties of saliva have not been fully studied, it is possible that in the near future we will hear new arguments in its favor.

Pets

It's no secret that animals devote a lot of time to their "licking". This is both hygiene and a kind of massage. It is so provided by nature that animals are more adapted to difficult living conditions than humans. Perhaps that is why their saliva contains more natural antibiotics, and the concentration of biostimulants is several times higher than in humans.

Our pets have a "sixth sense" and often see our sores. Do not chase away a cat or dog if it tries to lick you. Trust her intuition. She can see those hidden diseases that you don't even know about.

Treatment of "hungry" saliva

Saliva treatment can be quite effective, but it is not a panacea. Do not refuse those medical procedures prescribed by the doctor.

Here are a few recipes from Alexandra Krapivina's book "Grandmother's Method. Saliva treatment.

Treatment of herpes on the lips

Treatment is most effective at the first sign of a cold on the lips. In the morning, when saliva is still “hungry”, lick the rash as often as possible. In time, the procedure can take up to 20 minutes. Repeat it every morning until the cold sore is gone.

Treatment of sinusitis

Every morning, lubricate the area of ​​the maxillary chambers and frontal sinuses with “hungry” saliva. Before going to bed, it is necessary to warm these places with sea salt, and after hot heat, lubricate them again with saliva. The course of treatment is up to 2 months.

Treatment of cracks, chronic calluses and corns on the feet

After waking up, rinse your feet well and dry them dry. Lubricate problem areas with “hungry” saliva and rub thoroughly. Then put on cotton socks, and after 30 minutes, lubricate the feet with any softening antiseptic cream.

In the period from spring to autumn, you can use the following method. Before going to bed, rinse your feet well, wipe them off and apply a plantain leaf, which is pre-lubricated with saliva, to problem areas. Secure it in place by wearing socks or an elastic bandage.

The same recipe can be used in the winter season, but the absence of plantain replaces the cabbage leaf.

In order to find healthy feet, usually 2 weeks are enough.

Treatment of varicose veins

The method of treatment is the same as in the previous case - you will need saliva, plantain or cabbage leaf. Call on pets, a cat or a dog to help. Spread sour cream on problem areas and invite the animal to lick it off. Their saliva has more pronounced healing properties, and therefore recovery will be faster.

Treatment is carried out in courses of 2-3 weeks.

Tags: Healing properties of saliva

What do we do when we accidentally cut or prick ourselves? Subconsciously we try to lick the wound. So do animals.

Saliva treatment is a kind of intuitive impulse to self-medicate.

Saliva has medicinal properties, and the highest concentration of active substances in the morning - before eating. It is also called "hungry". The saliva of children under seven years of age also has remarkable healing properties. Their immune system is not yet so poisoned by modern foods.

There are much more natural antiseptics in animal saliva than in human saliva. That is why the well-known expression appeared: "heals like a dog." Of course, they eat completely differently, they don’t drink alcohol, they don’t smoke, they don’t get nervous. It is thanks to this that animal saliva has the best bactericidal properties.

If your pet is constantly trying to lick your wound, don't push him away. Perhaps he wants to heal you. The saliva of horses and cows is often used for treatment, but in biological activity it is inferior to, say, a cat's.

Saliva treatment is the application of a unique antiseptic, as it is almost sterile. It contains the enzyme lysozyme, it is able to kill microbes, as well as lipase, which has bactericidal properties. A small amount of saliva contains substances that promote tissue regeneration, it contains natural antibiotics, as well as sorbents.

Once in the gastrointestinal tract, it cleans it. Without it, we would simply die from the large number of microbes that would enter our body with food. Smoking and drinking alcohol reduce the amount of saliva produced and weaken its healing properties.

Treatment of "hungry" saliva

It is impossible to “prepare hungry” saliva for the future, because over time it breaks down into water and starchy compounds. If you have a slight salivation, then it can be stimulated like this: cut a lemon and imagine that you are drinking its juice, inhale the smell of your favorite dish, but do not try to “chew” your lower lip by performing intense chewing movements.

Barley

As soon as you feel inflammation in the eye, treat with saliva, lubricate the eyelid every hour. In the morning, every half an hour, use "hungry" saliva, and then every hour - normal. In two days the barley will pass.

Conjunctivitis

In the morning every thirty minutes, rub your eyes with "hungry" saliva. You can eat food only after the second wiping. The course of treatment is a month, but you will feel the improvement immediately.

Herpes, colds on the lips

Waking up, lick the sore spot for 15 minutes, at short intervals. The result will be noticeable within a week.

Piercing, pierced ears

Regularly wipe the puncture site with saliva.

Zhiroviki.

In the morning, lubricate the wen with "hungry" saliva, then gently massage it. The wen will disappear in two to four weeks.

Warts, papillomas

It is necessary in the morning to treat with saliva, be sure to "hungry", easily massaging them. In the evening, apply normal saliva. Disappear in two or three weeks.

Painful joints

In the morning, apply chewed (not less than a minute!) Borodino bread to the sore spot.

Easy to massage.

Treatment with saliva must be done at night. Process, while doing a light massage.

Edema usually disappears on the fifth or seventh day, and pain - after 1.5 - 2 weeks.

Haemorrhoids

In the morning, massage the sore spot with “hungry” saliva, then insert a beet or potato candle (1 cm in diameter and 5 cm long) into the rectum, after wetting them in saliva. Hemorrhoids will disappear in three to four days.

Bones, spurs on the legs.

Lubricate the problem area with “hungry” saliva, attach a copper circle moistened with saliva to it, and fix it. Treatment will last from three to six months.

Fungus on the nails

Cut your nails shorter, use a nail file. In the morning, lubricate the affected nails with “hungry” saliva. Wipe with apple cider vinegar at night. On smaller nails, the fungus will disappear in a month and a half, on large nails - about six months.

Tumors

Wipe daily with "hungry" saliva, while moisturizing well, and easily massaging the place where there is a tumor. In 75% of people, in the first month, the tumor decreased or stopped growing. Treatment with saliva (“hungry)” even helped people beat cancer.

Goiter

Lubricate the area of ​​the thyroid gland with “hungry” saliva every morning. Lubricate five times in a row with an interval of 5 - 10 minutes. The thyroid gland is normalized in a month and a half.

Diathesis in a child

Of course, you need to know the cause of diathesis. Lubricate problem areas with your “hungry” saliva daily.

Scoliosis in a child

This unusual method of treatment was used by our ancestors.

Before going to bed, put the child on a flat place, stomach down. Grease sour cream along the spine and let the dog lick it off.

After that, throw a woolen scarf over your back, fasten it and put the child to bed.

Usually, after a month of treatment, the back became even.

Abdominal pain

Wet the left palm with saliva, put it on the site of the solar plexus and slowly massage it counterclockwise. Moisten your palm with saliva every five minutes. The pain usually subsides in 10-15 minutes.

Insomnia

It is necessary to moisten the fingers with saliva and lightly massage the eyelids, the bridge of the nose, as well as the points between the index and thumb on the hands counterclockwise. The insomnia will go away in 10 minutes.

calluses

Moisten with saliva, apply cabbage leaves moistened with saliva, or plantain. If possible, let your dog or cat lick the corn.

Head pain

Wet your fingers with saliva and moderately quickly rub the whiskey counterclockwise, as well as the point between the eyes. Repeat every 15 minutes until the headache is gone.

IMPORTANT!

It must be remembered that saliva treatment can replace some types of traditional medicine. Saliva can also help in some emergency cases in the absence of medical drugs.

But under no circumstances should traditional treatment be abandoned in favor of salivary therapy for severe ailments!

Health and traditional medicine

To sustain life, first of all, people need food. Products contain a lot of essential substances: mineral salts, organic elements and water. Nutrient components are the building material for cells and a resource for constant human activity. During the decomposition and oxidation of compounds, a certain amount of energy is released, which characterizes their value.

The digestion process begins in the mouth. The product is processed by the digestive juice, which acts on it with the help of the contained enzymes, due to which, even when chewing, complex carbohydrates, proteins and fats are transformed into molecules that are absorbed. Digestion is a complex process that requires exposure to products of many components synthesized by the body. Proper chewing and digestion is the key to health.

Functions of saliva in the process of digestion

The digestive tract includes several main organs: the oral cavity, pharynx with esophagus, pancreas and stomach, liver and intestines. Saliva performs many functions:

What happens to food? The main task of the substrate in the mouth is to participate in digestion. Without it, certain types of foods would not be broken down by the body or would be dangerous. The liquid wets the food, the mucin glues it into a lump, preparing it for swallowing and movement through the digestive tract. It is produced depending on the quantity and quality of food: less for liquid food, more for dry food, and does not form when drinking water. Chewing and salivation can be attributed to the most important process of the body, at all stages of which there is a change in the consumed product and the delivery of nutrients.

Composition of human saliva

Saliva is colorless, tasteless and odorless (see also: what to do if you have ammonia breath?). It can be saturated, viscous or very rare, watery - it depends on the proteins that make up the composition. The glycoprotein mucin gives it the appearance of mucus and makes it easier to swallow. It loses its enzymatic qualities soon after it enters the stomach and mixes with its juice.

The oral fluid contains a small amount of gases: carbon dioxide, nitrogen and oxygen, as well as sodium and potassium (0.01%). It contains substances that digest some carbohydrates. There are other components of organic and inorganic origin, as well as hormones, cholesterol, vitamins. It is 98.5% water. The activity of saliva can be explained by the huge number of elements contained in it. What functions does each of them perform?

organic matter

The most important component of the intraoral fluid are proteins - their content is 2-5 grams per liter. In particular, these are glycoproteins, mucin, A and B globulins, albumins. It contains carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins and hormones. Most of the protein is mucin (2-3 g / l), and due to the fact that it contains 60% carbohydrates, it makes saliva viscous.

About a hundred enzymes are present in the mixed liquid, including ptyalin, which is involved in the breakdown of glycogen and its conversion into glucose. In addition to the presented components, it contains: urease, hyaluronidase, glycolysis enzymes, neuraminidase and other substances. Under the action of the intraoral substance, food changes and transforms into the form necessary for assimilation. In the pathology of the oral mucosa, diseases of the internal organs, a laboratory study of enzymes is often used to identify the type of disease and the causes of its formation.

What substances can be classified as inorganic?

The composition of the mixed oral fluid includes inorganic components. These include:

Mineral components create an optimal reaction of the environment to incoming food, maintain the level of acidity. A significant part of these elements is absorbed by the mucous membrane of the intestines, stomach and sent to the blood. The salivary glands are actively involved in maintaining the stability of the internal environment and the functioning of organs.

The process of salivation

The production of saliva occurs both in the microscopic glands of the oral cavity, and in the large: parolingual, submandibular and parotid pairs. The canals of the parotid glands are located near the second molar from above, the submandibular and sublingual canals are brought out under the tongue at one mouth. Dry foods produce more saliva than wet foods. The glands under the jaw and tongue synthesize 2 times more fluid than the parotid glands - they are responsible for the chemical processing of products.

An adult produces about 2 liters of saliva per day. The release of fluid throughout the day is uneven: during the use of products, active production begins up to 2.3 ml per minute, in a dream it decreases to 0.05 ml. In the oral cavity, the secret obtained from each gland is mixed. It washes and moisturizes the mucous membrane.

Salivation is controlled by the autonomic nervous system. Increased fluid synthesis occurs under the influence of taste sensations, olfactory stimuli, and when irritated by food during chewing. Excretion is significantly slowed down by stress, fright and dehydration.

Active enzymes involved in the digestion of food

The digestive system converts the nutrients in food into molecules. They become fuel for tissues, cells and organs that continuously perform metabolic functions. The absorption of vitamins and microelements occurs at all levels.

Food is digested from the moment it enters the mouth. Here, mixing with the oral fluid, which includes enzymes, is carried out, the food is lubricated and sent to the stomach. Substances contained in saliva break down the product into simple elements and protect the human body from bacteria.

Why do saliva enzymes work in the mouth but stop functioning in the stomach? They act only in an alkaline environment, and then, in the gastrointestinal tract, it changes to acidic. Proteolytic elements work here, continuing the stage of assimilation of substances.

Amylase enzyme or ptyalin - breaks down starch and glycogen

Amylase is a digestive enzyme that breaks down starch into carbohydrate molecules, which are absorbed in the intestines. Under the action of the component, starch and glycogen are converted into maltose, and with the help of additional substances they are converted into glucose. To detect this effect, eat a cracker - when chewed, the product exhibits a sweet aftertaste. The substance works only in the esophagus and in the mouth, converting glycogen, but loses its properties in the acidic environment of the stomach.

Ptyalin is produced by the pancreas and salivary glands. The type of enzyme produced by the pancreas is called pancreatic amylase. The component completes the stage of digestion and absorption of carbohydrates.

Lingual lipase - for the breakdown of fats

The enzyme promotes the conversion of fats into simple compounds: glycerol and fatty acids. In the oral cavity, the process of digestion begins, and in the stomach, the substance stops working. A little lipase is produced by the stomach cells, the component specifically breaks down milk fat and is especially important for babies, because it makes the process of assimilation of products and the absorption of elements easier for their underdeveloped digestive system.

Varieties of protease - for protein cleavage

Protease is a general term for enzymes that break down proteins into amino acids. There are three main types produced in the body:

The cells of the stomach produce pepsicogen, an inactive component that turns into pepsin upon contact with an acidic environment. It breaks peptides - the chemical bonds of proteins. The pancreas is responsible for the production of trypsin and chymotrypsin, which enter the small intestine. When already processed by gastric juice and fragmentally digested food is sent from the stomach to the intestines, these substances contribute to the formation of simple amino acids that are absorbed into the blood.

Why is there a lack of enzymes in saliva?

Proper digestion is mainly dependent on enzymes. Their deficiency leads to incomplete digestion of food, diseases of the stomach and liver may occur. Symptoms of their lack are heartburn, flatulence, and frequent belching. After a while, headaches may appear, the work of the endocrine system will be disrupted. A small amount of enzymes leads to obesity.

Usually, the mechanisms for the production of active substances are genetically laid down, therefore, the violation of the activity of the glands is innate. Experiments have shown that a person receives enzyme potential at birth, and if it is spent without replenishing, it will quickly run out.

The processes occurring in the body can be controlled. To simplify its work, it is necessary to consume fermented food: steamed, raw, high-calorie (bananas, avocados).

The reasons for the lack of enzymes include:

• their small supply from birth;
• eating foods grown in soil poor in enzymes;
• eating overcooked, fried food without raw vegetables and fruits;
• stress, pregnancy, diseases and pathologies of organs.

The work of enzymes does not stop in the body for a minute, supporting every process. They protect a person from diseases, increase endurance, destroy and remove fats. With their small amount, incomplete breakdown of products occurs, and the immune system begins to fight them, as with a foreign body. This weakens the body and leads to exhaustion.

Table of contents of the topic "The function of absorption of the intestine. Digestion in the oral cavity and the function of swallowing.":
1. Suction. intestinal absorption function. transport of nutrients. Brush border of the enterocyte. hydrolysis of nutrients.
2. Absorption of macromolecules. Transcytosis. Endocytosis. Exocytosis. Absorption of micromolecules by enterocytes. Absorption of vitamins.
3. Nervous regulation of the secretion of digestive juices and motility of the stomach and intestines. Reflex arc of the central esophageal-intestinal motor reflex.
4. Humoral regulation of the secretion of digestive juices and motility of the stomach and intestines. Hormonal regulation of the digestive tract.
5. Scheme of the mechanisms of regulation of the functions of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). A generalized scheme of the mechanisms of regulation of the functions of the digestive tract.
6. Periodic activity of the digestive system. Hungry periodic activity of the digestive tract. migratory motor complex.
7. Digestion in the oral cavity and the function of swallowing. Oral cavity.
8. Saliva. Salivation. The amount of saliva. The composition of saliva. primary secret.
9. Department of saliva. Secretion of saliva. Regulation of salivation. Regulation of saliva secretion. Salivation center.
10. Chewing. The act of chewing. chewing regulation. chewing center.

Saliva. Salivation. The amount of saliva. The composition of saliva. primary secret.

A person has three pairs of large salivary glands (parotid, sublingual, submandibular) and a large number of small glands located in the oral mucosa. The salivary glands are composed of mucous and serous cells. The former secrete a mucoid secret of a thick consistency, the latter - liquid, serous or proteinaceous. The parotid salivary glands contain only serous cells. The same cells are found on the lateral surfaces of the tongue. Submandibular and sublingual contain both serous and mucous cells. Similar glands are also located in the mucous membrane of the lips, cheeks, and on the tip of the tongue. The sublingual and small glands of the mucous membrane secrete a secret constantly, and the parotid and submandibular glands - when they are stimulated.

Every day a person produces from 0.5 to 2.0 liters of saliva.. Its pH ranges from 5.25 to 8.0, and the rate of saliva secretion in humans in the "calm" state of the salivary glands is 0.24 ml / min. However, the rate of secretion can fluctuate even at rest from 0.01 to 18.0 ml / min, which is due to irritation of the receptors of the oral mucosa and excitation of the salivary center under the influence of conditioned stimuli. Salivation during chewing food increases to 200 ml / min.

Substance	Content, g/l	Substance	Content, mmol/l
Water	994	Sodium salts	6-23
Squirrels	1,4-6,4	Potassium salts	14-41
Mucin	0,9-6,0	Calcium salts	1,2-2,7
Cholesterol	0,02-0,50	Magnesium salts	0,1-0,5
Glucose	0,1-0,3	chlorides	5-31
Ammonium	0,01-0,12	Bicarbonates	2-13
Uric acid	0,005-0,030	Urea	140-750

The amount and composition of the secretion of the salivary glands varies depending on the nature of the stimulus. Saliva human is a viscous, opalescent, slightly turbid (due to the presence of cellular elements) liquid with a specific gravity of 1.001-1.017 and a viscosity of 1.10-1.33.

The secret of mixed all salivary glands human contains 99.4-99.5% water and 0.5-0.6% solid residue, which consists of inorganic and organic substances (Table 11.2). Inorganic components in saliva are represented by potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, chlorine, fluorine, iodine, rhodanium compounds, phosphate, sulfate, bicarbonate ions and make up approximately "/3 of the dense residue, and 2/3 are organic substances Saliva minerals maintain optimal environmental conditions in which food substances are hydrolyzed by saliva enzymes (osmotic pressure is close to normal, the required pH level). A significant part of the mineral components of saliva is absorbed into the blood of the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines. This indicates the participation of the salivary glands in maintaining the constancy of the internal environment of the body.

The organic substances of the dense residue are proteins (albumins, globulins, free amino acids), nitrogen-containing compounds of non-protein nature (urea, ammonia, creatine), lysozyme and enzymes (alpha-amylase and maltase). Alpha-amylase is a hydrolytic enzyme and cleaves 1,4-glucosidic bonds in starch and glycogen molecules to form dextrins and then maltose and sucrose. Maltase(glucosidase) breaks down maltose and sucrose into monosaccharides. The viscosity and mucilaginous properties of saliva are due to the presence of mucopolysaccharides in it ( mucin). mucus saliva glues food particles into a food lump; envelops the mucous membrane of the oral cavity and esophagus, it protects it from microtrauma and the penetration of pathogenic microbes. Other organic components of saliva, such as cholesterol, uric acid, urea, are excretions to be removed from the body.

Saliva It is formed both in the acini and in the ducts of the salivary glands. The cytoplasm of glandular cells contains secretory granules located mainly in the perinuclear and apical parts of the cells, near the Golgi apparatus. During secretion, the size, number and location of the granules change. As the secretory granules mature, they move from the Golgi apparatus to the top of the cell. In the granules, the synthesis of organic substances is carried out, which move with water through the cell along the endoplasmic reticulum. During saliva secretions the amount of colloidal material in the form of secretory granules gradually decreases as it is consumed and is renewed during the rest period in the process of its synthesis.

In the acini of the salivary glands the first stage saliva formation. IN primary secret contains alpha-amylase and mucin, which are synthesized by glandulocytes. The content of ions in primary secret slightly differs from their concentration in extracellular fluids, which indicates the transition of these components of the secret from the blood plasma. In the salivary ducts saliva significantly changes compared with the primary secret: sodium ions are actively reabsorbed, and potassium ions are actively secreted, but at a slower rate than sodium ions are absorbed. As a result, the concentration of sodium in saliva decreases, while the concentration of potassium ions increases. A significant predominance of sodium ion reabsorption over potassium ion secretion increases the electronegativity of the membranes of salivary duct cells (up to 70 mV), which causes passive reabsorption of chloride ions. At the same time, the secretion of bicarbonate ions by the epithelium of the ducts increases, which ensures alkalization of saliva.

Digestion in the human body is carried out with the assistance of various biological fluids, which include saliva. The gradual breakdown of organic substances in the sections of the digestive system contributes to the most complete dissimilation of proteins, carbohydrates and fats from food, and the release of energy. It is partially converted into heat, and also accumulates in the form of ATP molecules.

The primary biochemical processing of the food bolus occurs in the oral cavity under the action of saliva. The composition of this biologically active solution is quite complex and depends on the age, genetic properties and nutritional characteristics of a person. In our article, we will characterize the components of saliva and study its functions in the body.

Digestion in the mouth

The flavoring substances of food irritate the nerve endings located in the mucous membrane of the oral cavity and on the tongue. This causes a reflex secretion not only of saliva, but also of gastric and pancreatic juice. Irritation of the receptors, which turns into the process of excitation, provides salivation, which is necessary for the primary mechanical and biochemical processing of the food bolus. It consists in chewing and breaking down complex sugars into simple carbohydrates. The secretion of enzymes in the oral cavity is carried out by the salivary glands. The composition of saliva necessarily includes amylase and maltase, which work as hydrolytic enzymes.

A person has three large pairs of glands: parotid, submandibular and sublingual. Also in the mucous membrane of the lower jaw, cheeks and tongue are small salivary excretory ducts. During the day, a healthy adult produces up to 1.5 liters of saliva. This is extremely important for the physiologically normal process of digestion.

The chemical composition of saliva

First, we will make a general overview of the components secreted by the glands of the oral cavity. This is primarily water and the salts of sodium, potassium, calcium and phosphorus dissolved in it. The content of organic compounds in saliva is high: enzymes, proteins and mucin (mucus). A special place is occupied by substances of a bactericidal nature - lysozyme, protective proteins. Normally, saliva has a slightly alkaline reaction, but if foods rich in carbohydrates predominate in food, the pH of saliva shifts towards an acidic reaction. This increases the risk of tartar formation and causes symptoms of caries. Next, we will dwell on the features of the composition of human saliva.

Factors affecting the biochemistry of salivary gland secretion

First, we distinguish between such concepts as pure and mixed saliva. In the first case, we are talking about a fluid directly secreted by the glands of the oral cavity. The second is about a solution that also contains metabolic products, bacteria, food particles, and blood plasma components. However, both of these types of oral fluid necessarily contain several groups of compounds called buffer systems. The composition of saliva is determined by the peculiarities of the body's metabolism, age, the nature of nutrition, and depends on what chronic diseases a person suffers from. For example, in the saliva of young children, there is a high content of lysozyme and components of the protein buffer system, as well as a low concentration of mucin and mucus.

For an adult, the predominance of elements of the phosphate and bicarbonate buffer systems is characteristic. In addition, an increase in the concentration of potassium ions and a decrease in the content of sodium are recorded in comparison with the composition of the blood plasma. In elderly people, saliva contains an increased content of glycoproteins, mucin and bacterial microflora. A high level of calcium ions can provoke an increase in the formation of tartar in them, and a low concentration of lysozyme and protective proteins leads to the development of periodontal disease.

What trace elements are found in the secretion of the salivary glands

The mineral composition of the oral fluid plays a leading role in maintaining a normal level of metabolism and directly affects the formation of tooth enamel. Covering the crown of the tooth from above, it is in direct contact with internal contents of the mouth and hence is the most vulnerable part. As it turned out, mineralization, i.e., the intake of calcium, fluorine and hydrophosphate ions into tooth enamel depends on the composition and properties of saliva. The above ions are present in it both in free and protein-bound form and have a micellar structure.

These complex compounds provide tooth enamel resistance to caries. Thus, the oral fluid is a colloidal solution and, along with sodium, potassium, copper, and iodine ions, creates the necessary osmotic pressure that provides the protective functions of its own buffer systems. Next, consider the mechanisms of their action and the importance for maintaining homeostasis in the oral cavity.

Buffer complexes

In order for the secret of the salivary glands, which has entered the oral cavity, to perform all its important functions, it is necessary that its pH is at a constant level in the range from 6.9 to 7.5. For this, there are groups of complex ions and biologically active substances that are part of saliva. Especially important is the phosphate buffer system, which maintains a sufficient concentration hydrophosphate ions, which are responsible for the mineralization of dental tissues. It contains an enzyme - alkaline phosphatase, which accelerates the transfer of orthophosphoric acid anions from glucose esters to the organic basis of tooth enamel.

Then, the formation of foci of crystallization is observed, and complexes of calcium and protein phosphates are built into dental tissues - mineralization occurs. Dental studies have confirmed the assumption that a decrease in the concentration of calcium cations and acid anions of phosphoric acid leads to a violation of the "saliva - tooth enamel" system. This inevitably causes the destruction of dental tissues and the development of caries.

Organic components of mixed saliva

Now we will talk about mucin - a substance produced by the submandibular and sublingual glands. It belongs to the group of glycoproteins, secreted by secreting epithelial cells. Having a viscosity, mucin sticks together and moisturizes food particles that irritate the root of the tongue. As a result of swallowing, the elastic food bolus easily enters the esophagus and further into the stomach.

This example clearly illustrates how the composition and functions of saliva are interconnected. In addition to mucin, organic substances also include soluble proteins bound into complex compounds with glucose and galactose. They contribute to the transition of calcium hydrogen phosphate from the oral fluid to the composition of tooth enamel. A decrease in the concentration of soluble peptides (for example, fibronectin in saliva) leads to the activation of the enzyme - acid phosphatase, which enhances the demineralization process that provokes caries.

Lysozyme

The compounds that exhibit the properties of enzymes and are part of saliva include an antibacterial substance - lysozyme. Acting as a proteolytic enzyme, it destroys the walls of pathogenic bacteria containing murein. The presence of the enzyme in saliva is especially important for the microflora of the oral cavity, since it is a gate through which microorganisms can freely enter with air, water and food. Lysozyme begins to be produced by the salivary glands of the child from the moment of switching to nutrition with artificial mixtures, until this moment the enzyme enters his body with breast milk. As you can see, saliva is characterized by protective functions that help maintain the normal functioning of the body and protect it from pathogenic microflora. In addition, lysozyme contributes to the rapid healing of microcracks and wounds on the mucous surface of the oral cavity.

Importance of Digestive Enzymes

Continuing to study the question of what is the composition of human saliva, let us dwell on its components such as amylase and maltase. Both enzymes are involved in the breakdown of food containing carbohydrates. A simple experiment is well known, proving that starch undergoes hydrolysis while still in the oral cavity. If you chew a piece of white bread or boiled potatoes for a long time, then a sweetish taste appears in your mouth. Indeed, amylase partially breaks down starch into oligosaccharides and dextrins, and they, in turn, are exposed to the action of maltase. As a result, glucose molecules are formed, giving the food bolus a sweet taste in the mouth. Complete breakdown of carbohydrates will then take place in the stomach and especially in duodenal gut.

Blood-clotting function of saliva

In the secret of the oral fluid, there are elements of plasma and there are blood coagulation factors. For example, thromboplastin is a product of the destruction of blood platelets - platelets - and is present in both pure and mixed saliva. Another substance is prothrombin, which is an inactive form of a protein and is synthesized by hepatocytes. In addition to the substances mentioned above, saliva contains enzymes that prevent or, conversely, activate the action of fibrinolysin, a compound that exhibits pronounced blood coagulation properties.

In this article, we studied the composition and main functions of human saliva. We hope the information was useful to you!

Saliva(lat. saliva) - a clear, colorless liquid secreted into the oral cavity by the secret of the salivary glands. Saliva moistens the oral cavity, facilitating articulation, provides perception of taste sensations, and lubricates chewed food. In addition, saliva cleanses the oral cavity, has a bactericidal effect, and protects teeth from damage. Under the action of saliva enzymes in the oral cavity, the digestion of carbohydrates begins.

The composition of saliva

Saliva has a pH of 5.6 to 7.6. 98.5% or more consists of water, contains salts of various acids, trace elements and cations of some alkali metals, lysozyme and other enzymes, and some vitamins. The main organic substances of saliva are proteins synthesized in the salivary glands (some enzymes, glycoproteins, mucins, class A immunoglobulins) and outside them. Some saliva proteins are of serum origin (certain enzymes, albumins, β-lipoproteins, immunoglobulins of classes G and M, etc.).

In most people, saliva contains group-specific antigens that correspond to blood antigens. The ability to secrete group-specific substances in saliva is inherited. Specific proteins were found in saliva - salivoprotein, which promotes the deposition of phosphorocalcium compounds on the teeth, and phosphoprotein, a calcium-binding protein with a high affinity for hydroxyapatite, which is involved in the formation of tartar and plaque. The main enzymes of saliva are amylase (α-amylase), which hydrolyzes polysaccharides to di- and monosaccharides, and α-glycosidase, or maltose, which breaks down the disaccharides maltose and sucrose. Proteinases, lipases, phosphatases, lysozyme, etc. were also found in saliva.

Mixed saliva contains small amounts of cholesterol and its esters, free fatty acids, glycerophospholipids, hormones (cortisol, estrogens, progesterone, testosterone), various vitamins and other substances. The mineral substances that make up saliva are anions of chlorides, bromides, fluorides, iodides, phosphates, bicarbonates, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, strontium, etc. cations. Wetting and softening solid food, saliva ensures the formation of a food lump and makes food easier to swallow. After impregnation with saliva, food already in the oral cavity undergoes initial chemical processing, during which carbohydrates are partially hydrolyzed by α-amylase to dextrins and maltose.

The dissolution of the chemicals that make up food in saliva contributes to the perception of taste by the taste analyzer. Saliva has a protective function, cleaning the teeth and oral mucosa from bacteria and their metabolic products, food debris, and detritus. The immunoglobulins and lysozyme contained in saliva also play a protective role. As a result of the secretory activity of the large and small salivary glands, the oral mucosa is moistened, which is a necessary condition for the implementation of bilateral transport of chemicals between the oral mucosa and saliva. The quantity, chemical composition and properties of saliva vary depending on the nature of the causative agent of secretion (for example, the type of food taken), the rate of secretion. So, when eating cookies, sweets in mixed saliva, the level of glucose and lactate temporarily increases; when salivation is stimulated, the concentration of sodium and bicarbonates in saliva sharply increases, the level of potassium and iodine does not change or slightly decreases, in the saliva of smokers there are several times more thiocyanates than in non-smokers.

The chemical composition of saliva is subject to daily fluctuations, it also depends on age (in older people, for example, the amount of calcium increases significantly, which is important for the formation of tartar and salivary calculus). Changes in the composition of saliva may be associated with the intake of drugs and intoxication. The composition of saliva also changes in a number of pathological conditions and diseases. So, with dehydration of the body, a sharp decrease in salivation occurs; with diabetes in saliva, the amount of glucose increases; with uremia in saliva, the content of residual nitrogen significantly increases. Reduced salivation and changes in the composition of saliva lead to digestive disorders, dental diseases.

Saliva, as the main source of calcium, phosphorus and other mineral elements entering tooth enamel, affects its physical and chemical properties, incl. for resistance to caries. With a sharp and prolonged restriction of saliva secretion, for example, with xerostomia, there is an intensive development of dental caries, a low rate of saliva secretion during sleep creates a cariogenic situation. With Parodontosis in saliva, the content of lysozyme, proteinase inhibitors may decrease, the activity of the system of proteolytic enzymes, alkaline and acid phosphatases may increase, the content of immunoglobulins may change, which leads to aggravation of pathological phenomena in the periodontium.

saliva secretion

Normally, an adult produces up to 2 liters of saliva per day. The rate of saliva secretion is uneven: it is minimal during sleep (less than 0.05 ml per minute), when awake outside of meals it is about 0.5 ml per minute, with stimulation of salivation, saliva secretion increases to 2.3 ml per minute. In the oral cavity, the secret secreted by each of the glands is mixed. Mixed saliva, or the so-called oral fluid, differs from the secret released directly from the ducts of the glands by the presence of a constant microflora, which includes bacteria, fungi, spirochetes, etc., and their metabolic products, as well as deflated epithelial cells and salivary bodies ( leukocytes that migrated into the oral cavity mainly through the gums). In addition, mixed saliva may contain sputum, discharge from the nasal cavity, red blood cells, etc.

mixed saliva is a viscous (due to the presence of glycoproteins) liquid with a specific gravity of 1001 to 1017. Some turbidity of saliva is caused by the presence of cellular elements. Fluctuations in the pH of saliva depend on the hygienic state of the oral cavity, the nature of the food, and the rate of secretion (at a low rate of secretion, the pH of saliva shifts to the acid side, and when salivation is stimulated, it shifts to the alkaline side).

Salivation is under the control of the autonomic nervous system. Salivation centers are located in the medulla oblongata. Stimulation of parasympathetic endings causes the formation of a large amount of saliva with a low protein content. On the contrary, sympathetic stimulation leads to the secretion of a small amount of viscous saliva. Salivation is reduced by stress, fright, or dehydration and virtually ceases during sleep and anaesthesia. Increased salivation occurs under the action of olfactory and gustatory stimuli, as well as due to mechanical irritation by large food particles and during chewing.