Okay, it’s not exactly saliva. But it is a molecule of it. This is what researchers at the University of Chile are studying. They are looking for a therapeutic formula based on saliva to repair wounds. The study plans to be patented in the USA. Yes, saliva could heal wounds.
Different tissues
Everything points to identify the molecule in saliva capable of stimulating the formation of blood vessels. The initiative arose in 2017. It was the hand of the teacher Vicente Torres and a team of researchers. They discovered histatin-1, a molecule present in saliva. What does it do? It enables rapid healing and stimulates the formation of blood vessels.
The project aims to solve how this component acts on the wounded cell. The aim is to find out which receptor facilitates this interaction. The project is being financed by the Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico (Fondecyt).
They foresee that the results can be applied in all types of wounds. Not only in soft tissues such as skin, but also in hard tissues such as bone. In both cases, the formation of blood vessels is essential for closure.
Patenting research
“The idea is to take this molecule and make a therapeutic formulation. It is expected to treat different types of skin wounds, including chronic ones,” Torres said.
A team is working on a “histatin-based implant formulation to regenerate bone.” Given the advances in the field, the team of researchers applied for a patent in the USA. They want to protect the therapeutic use of histatin-1. If saliva could heal wounds, they want credit for it.
who else is involved in this research? Undergraduate and PhD students from the faculties of Dentistry, Medicine, and Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences are participating. In addition, researchers from the University of Amsterdam (a pioneer in the field). They expect it to last four years starting next April.
