LIPOLYTIC AND ESTEROLYTIC ACTIVITY OF SALIVA AND SALIVARY ORGANISMS

¹ Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Mass.

1. Saliva and 16 oral isolates were tested for lipolytic and esterolytic activity using -naphthyl-acetate, -naphthyl-laurate, -naphthyl-myristate, and -naphthyl-stearate.

2. True lipase activity was shown only by isolates of Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus.

3. Saliva, 3 species of lactobacilli and certain of the gram-positive cocci exhibited an overlapping of enzymatic activity which manifested itself in a strong attack against -naphthyl-acetate and a decreasing hydrolysis of -naphthyl-laurate, -naphthyl-myristate, and -naphthyl-stearate.

4. Micrococcus pyogenes var. albus and an isolate of Aerobacter aerogenes hydrolyzed only the acetate substrate. When tested against -carbonaphthoxycholine iodide these organisms indicated the production of a pseudocholinesterase.

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