Saliva halts the damage of DNA from coffee, tea and flavor additives

Pyrogallol-like polyphenols or PLPs are toxins, which seriously damage DNA. Surprising enough, these toxins are also found in substances many people use every day, such as tea, coffee, and liquid smoke flavoring. No need to panic, however, your body already has a great defense against these harmful chemicals: saliva.

Researchers were baffled as to how people with large amounts of PLPs in their diet were able to walk away unharmed. Last year it was discovered that this plant chemical broke down strands of DNA. In some cases the damage was intense; 20 times greater than the damage that chemotherapy inflicted on cancer patients' DNA, the Medical Daily reported.  

In their study, researchers discovered that man’s greatest line of defense against these damaging chemicals lay in his mouth, more specifically, in the saliva. An enzyme in our saliva called alpha-amylase, the blood protein albumin, and the muscle protein myoglobin, all work hard to protect us from DNA damage caused by PLPs.

Usually the damaged DNA is repaired immediately. According to Cancer Research UK, if the damage occurs in cells involved in cellular growth, the cell can start to multiply out of control. This can lead to cancer.

Chemotherapeutic treatments work by inhibiting fast-diving cells, such as cancer cells, from reproducing. This process also leads to DNA damage in the cells. Unfortunately these saliva enzymes and proteins did not offer the same DNA protection against chemotherapeutic drugs.  

Follow NEWS.am Medicine on Facebook and Twitter