Xylitol: production, metabolism and safety of use (literature review)

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Abstract

The review article provides information on a common sweetener — xylitol, ranging from methods of production and purification, to metabolism in the body and practical applications in medicine and other industries. Considering some prejudice with which xylitol is treated in the Russian Federation, safety of use and low prevalence, it was decided to consider the relevance of use in medicine and related industries, affecting the effectiveness of use as one of the preventive measures in diseases of dental caries. 

Literature search: according to the Scopus, CyberLeninka, PubMed databases, selective, analytical-synthetic, typological. 

Xylitol is a polyhydric sugar alcohol; it is found in small amounts in fruits and vegetables. For industrial production, xylitol can be obtained by chemical and biotechnological methods. Chemical production is financially costly mainly due to the complex product purification process. In biotechnological production, agricultural and vegetable raw materials are used as raw materials, which makes it possible to reduce the cost of production and its energy intensity. The safety of xylitol has been well studied by the international community since the late 70s and it is included in various WHO recommendations, numerous studies confirm the safety of use during the metabolic processes of the body. 

Conclusion. Xylitol is used in at least three industries, namely in food (dietary, confectionery, chewing gum), pharmaceutical (xylitol properties are relevant in the production of nasal sprays, syrups, in combination with other medicines) and in dentistry due to its anti-caries effect, suppression growth of pathogenic microflora of the oral cavity and participation in the remineralization of hard tissues of the tooth. In addition, it is actively used among diabetics.

Contribution:
Sokolov F.S. — collection and processing of material, writing the text;
Krikheli N.I., Gurevich K.G. — the concept and design of the study, editing;
Zaborovsky A.V. — the concept and design of the study;
Glinenko V.M. — editing.
All co-authors — approval of the final version of the article, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: August 11, 2022 / Accepted: December 8, 2022 / Published: February 15, 2023

About the authors

Filipp S. Sokolov

A.I. Yevdokimov Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry

Author for correspondence.
Email: phlppsokolov@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-2813-6498

MD, postgraduate student, A.I. Evdokimov Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, Moscow, 127473, Russian Federation.

e-mail: phlppsokolov@gmail.com

Russian Federation

Konstantin G. Gurevich

A.I. Yevdokimov Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry

Email: noemail@neicon.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-7603-6064
Russian Federation

Natella I. Kriheli

A.I. Yevdokimov Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry

Email: noemail@neicon.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-8035-0638
SPIN-code: <a href="https://elibrary.ru/nxhhjs" target="»_blank»"><b>Elibrary EDN:</b> https://elibra
Russian Federation

Andrey V. Zaborovskiy

A.I. Yevdokimov Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry

Email: noemail@neicon.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-7923-9916
Russian Federation

Viktor M. Glinenko

A.I. Yevdokimov Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry

Email: noemail@neicon.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-5018-2648
Russian Federation

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