Effects of dihydrocapsiate on salivary secretion in healthy subjects: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study | Functional Foods in Health and Disease - Online ISSN: 2160-3855; Print ISSN: 2378-7007 Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer Open Menu Functional Foods in Health and Disease - Online ISSN: 2160-3855; Print ISSN: 2378-7007 Home Food Science Publisher Functional Food Center Current Archives About About the Journal Aims and Scope Contact Editing Services Editorial Team Express Peer Review Graphical Abstract Journal Insights Privacy Statement Submissions Announcements Search Search Register Login Home / Archives / Vol. 15 No. 6 (2025): June 2025 / Research Articles Effects of dihydrocapsiate on salivary secretion in healthy subjects: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study Authors Keisuke Yoshida Ryuji Takeda Osamu Sakai DOI: https://doi.org/10.31989/ffhd.v15i6.1657 Abstract Purpose: We aimed to assess the effects of dihydrocapsiate (DHC), a non-pungent capsaicin analog, on salivary secretion in individuals experiencing mild dry mouth symptoms. Given the function of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) in salivation, we hypothesized that DHC, which activates TRPV1 with minimal irritation, could serve as a novel therapeutic agent for dry mouth (xerostomia). Methods: A randomized, double-blind, crossover trial was conducted involving healthy adults aged 40 to 70 years who reported a tendency toward dry mouth. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a test tablet containing 0.8 mg DHC or a placebo tablet. Saliva secretion was measured using a spitting method before and after tablet administration, with assessments conducted in the morning to minimize diurnal variations. For statistical comparisons, paired Student’s t-tests were applied. Results: DHC intake significantly increased salivary secretion relative to the placebo group (p < 0.05). No adverse events or significant changes in safety parameters, including body weight, BMI, or blood pressure, were recorded during the study. Conclusion: DHC effectively enhanced salivary secretion while minimizing the pungency associated with capsaicin. Its ability to stimulate TRPV1 with low irritation suggests potential as a safe and convenient therapeutic option for individuals experiencing dry mouth.  Novelty: This study is the first randomized, placebo-controlled trial to demonstrate that dihydrocapsiate (DHC), a non-pungent capsaicin analog, significantly enhances salivary secretion in healthy individuals. These findings suggest that DHC may serve as a novel and tolerable functional ingredient for the management of oral dryness. Keywords: dihydrocapsiate (DHC), capsaicin, TRPV1, salivary secretion, xerostomia, dry mouth. Downloads [Abstract] [Full Article] Published 2025-06-27 Issue Vol. 15 No. 6 (2025): June 2025 Section Research Articles License Copyright (c) 2025 Functional Foods in Health and Disease This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Authors retain the copyright of their articles and grant the Functional Food Center (FFC) and its journals the right of first publication under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, including commercial use, provided the original author(s) and source are properly credited. Authors may post and share their published work freely, provided that the original publication in this journal is acknowledged. By submitting to this journal, authors confirm that their manuscripts are original, not under consideration elsewhere, and that they hold the necessary rights to grant this license. The Functional Food Center encourages open scientific exchange and allows derivative and extended works, provided attribution to the original publication is maintained. About the Journal      Editing Services      Graphical Abstract      Journal Insights        Submissions        Editorial Team       Privacy Statement        Contact        Current        Archives   Open Journal Systems Hosting and Support by: OpenJournalSystems.com