The secretion of ptyalin (salivary α-amylase, SA-A) into saliva is stimulated by the sympathetic nervous system controlled by cerebral function. P. falciparum malarial infection alters cerebral activities, yet information on the effect of P. falciparum malarial infection on the production and activity of α-amylase in saliva of infected patients has remained scarce especially in Abraka, Delta State, Nigeria. In this study, the activities of salivary α-amylase (SA-A) in both male and female (20-34 years) subjects infected with varying severity (1+ to 3+) of P. falciparum were assayed. Thirty malarial infected patients were selected from the Out Patients’ Department, General Hospital, Abraka. Twenty consenting individuals in apparent good health and without malarial infection were randomly selected from the hospital’s community and included as controls. About 3ml of fresh saliva was collected from each volunteer and α-amylase was assayed by the p-nitrophenylheptaoside method as earlier described. Results show that P. falciparum malarial infection significantly (p<0.05) reduced SA-A activity value (117.62±30.25 IU/L) when compared with the value (251.83±26.52 IU/L) obtained from the uninfected (control) subjects. Observations show no gender or age bias but severity strongly influenced data. Experimental evidence (SA-A activity values) indicates alteration in cerebral function even when cerebral malaria has not been clinically recognized. Data also validate the usefulness of SA-A activity value as surrogate biomarker of cerebral function, especially regarding the activities of the autonomic and sympathetic nervous system.
