Enhancement of oral moisture using tablets containing extract of Capparis masaikai Levl.

Aim of the studyThis study was performed to examine the effects of tablets containing an extract of Capparis masaikai Levl. (M-tablets) on enhancing oral moisture.Subjects and methodsThe moistening effect of M-tablets was examined in 21 healthy subjects aged 25.1 ± 2.4 (mean ± S.D.) years in comparison with control tablets. After sucking tablets, the oral moisture was measured using a saliva wetness tester and a moisture checker. To evaluate the effects of the M-tablets on oral conditions, additional 50 subjects aged 30.6 ± 7.5 years were examined. The subjects recorded changes in refreshment, oral moisture, ease in speaking, and taste of water using a visual analog scale (VAS).ResultsThe L-SALIVO® value of the M-tablet increased significantly from 1.83 ± 0.17 (mean ± S.E.M.) at baseline to 3.02 ± 0.21 at 15 min (P < 0.01). The Mucus® value of the M-tablet also increased from 37.50 ± 0.22 at baseline to 38.30 ± 0.26 at 15 min (P < 0.01). The VAS value for oral moisture increased significantly from 47.4 ± 2.0 to 69.6 ± 2.2 after taking the M-tablet (P < 0.01). The VAS value for taste of water also increased from 50.0 ± 1.1 to 66.7 ± 3.2 (P < 0.01).ConclusionThese results suggest that M-tablets are useful for enhancing oral moisture, which leads to improvement of oral conditions.