Pilocarpine and other cholinergic drugs in the management of salivary gland dysfunction.

Sialagogues constitute an important component in the management of salivary gland dysfunction. Of the pharmacologic agents available, pilocarpine has been used extensively over the last century. Many clinical trials have documented the efficacy of this alkaloid, with doses that range from 1 to 15 mg normally taken four times a day. There is considerable individual variation in response although it is usually possible, in the presence of sufficient responsive exocrine tissue, to establish a therapeutic regimen that promotes increased salivation without significant side effects.