Sensory stimulation (acupuncture) increases the release of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide in the saliva of xerostomia sufferers

We have shown in earlier studies that xerostomia can be treated successfull y with acupuncture. We also found that acupuncture stimulation can increase the concentration of neuropeptides in the saliva of healthy subjects. In t his study, the concentration of the neuropeptide vasoactive intestinal poly peptide (VIP) was measured in the saliva of xerostomic patients in connecti on with acupuncture treatment (AP). Patients suffering from xerostomia caus ed by irradiation treatment, Sjogren's syndrome and other systemic disorder s had been treated with acupuncture, Some of these patients showed an incre ase of their salivary flow rates after the AP was completed. Seventeen pati ents out of 65 were chosen due to their ability to produce enough saliva fo r the radio immunoassay (RIA) analyses to be conducted prior to the start o f AP. VIP-like immunoreactivity (VIP-LI) was measured in the chewing stimul ated saliva of these patients before and after the whole AP (24 sessions of 30 min each). The results showed that there was a significant increase of the concentration of VIP after the AP as compared to the measurements made before the start of the treatment (p<0.05). We concluded that the increase of neuropeptide VIP might be one of the mech anisms behind the positive effect of acupuncture on the salivary flow rates of the xerostomic patients.