EFFECTS OF THE ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUG CAPTOPRIL ON HUMAN SALIVARY SECRETION RATE AND COMPOSITION

The effects of the antihypertensive drug captopril on salivary secreti on rate and composition was evaluated in 24 healthy adults (18-46 yr) according to a double-blind, cross-over design. Unstimulated and paraf fin-chewing stimulated whole saliva and 3% citric acid stimulated paro tid and submandibular-sublingual (SM-SL) secretion were collected at 1 0.30 a.m. (about 2 h after intake of breakfast) on day 0 (baseline val ues), day 1 (experimental acute values) and day 7 (experimental chroni c values) in each treatment period. In 8 of the subjects, also morning samples were collected at 7.30 a,m., with the test subjects in a fast ing condition. Whole saliva was assessed for flow rate and for concent rations of sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and phosphate, In addi tion, parotid and SM-SL secretion were assessed for concentrations of total protein, hexosamine, sialic acid, lactoferrin and salivary IgA a nd for activities of amylase, lysozyme and salivary peroxidase. During treatment with the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor captopril, the secretion rates tended to increase for unstimulated and paraffin- chewing stimulated whole saliva and for parotid secretion. For salivar y composition, no alterations were observed in any of the collected se cretions.