ptialiin

Ptialiin is not widely used as a distinct term in the biomedical literature and is commonly considered a misspelling or alternative spelling of ptyalin, the enzyme known as salivary amylase. In humans, salivary amylase is produced by the major and minor salivary glands and secreted into saliva. Its main role is the initial digestion of dietary starches in the mouth by hydrolyzing alpha-1,4 glycosidic bonds, yielding maltose and dextrins.

The enzyme operates best at a near-neutral pH, with optimal activity around pH 6.7 to 7.0. Its activity in the mouth is relatively brief due to saliva turnover and the short residence time of food; after swallowing, the acidic environment of the stomach inactivates ptyalin, and starch digestion resumes in the small intestine with pancreatic amylase.

Clinical and educational notes: Amylase activity can be measured in saliva or serum for certain diagnostic purposes, but ptyalin/salivary amylase is not as central to modern diagnostics as pancreatic amylase or isoamylase testing. Reduced salivary amylase activity can accompany salivary gland dysfunction or aging, while elevated levels can reflect conditions affecting salivary glands or flow. Spelling variants like ptialiin are rare and generally considered misspellings of ptyalin.

See also: Salivary amylase, Ptyalin, Amylase, Pancreatic amylase.