January 2016 Vol. 4 No.1

Search Pubmed for articles by:
 

Original Research Article

Traditional Food Habits and their Possible Relationship in Diseases of the Mouth: The Use of Paprika

Menicagli R^1*, Duca M² and Rancoita P M V³

¹Senior Research” Biomed “20060 MEDIGLIA
²Istituti Clinici Perfezionamento (I.C.P). Hospital Bassini Milan
³University “Vita E salute“ Hospital San Raffaele Milan

*Corresponding Author’s E-mail: menicagli@libero.it
Tel: 02 90661201

Accepted January 02, 2016

Abstract

This study aims to verify whether the paprika containing polyphenols can be dangerous to the oral cavity for their property to protein precipitation and if capsaicin another usual compound present in the spice can increases these effects. At three saliva samples provided by volunteers, they are added either increasing amounts of two types of paprika, to different capsaicin content, both in a sample only pure capsaicin. The results were statistically analyzed by the Fisher Exact Test (FET). The results of proteins precipitation are not statistically correlated with increased concentrations of type of both paprika, p≥0.05, but it shows a trend phenomenon with the same values. Test 1 maximum precipitation 23% (rho = 0.95, p-value = 0.083), test 2 maximum precipitation 23.1% (rho = 1, p-value = 0.061). The addition of capsaicin alone detects a statistical tendency to precipitation, maximum 13% for concentrations fifty times those found in two samples of paprika. Protein precipitation is still relevant and mainly due to the polyphenols contained in paprika; this phenomenon can be enhanced by capsaicin and provide possible chronic effects on oral mucosa, raising the question of possible abuse of the paprika

Key Words: Oral Cancer, Paprika, Protein, Salivary Mucin