THE AVAILABILITY OF CERTAIN STREPTOCOCCAL GROWTH FACTORS IN HUMAN SALIVA

¹ Department of Bacteriology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif.

Using standard microbiological assay methods, adapted for the utilization of streptococci which may occur in the oral cavity, significant amounts of growth factor activity relatable to the 4 vitamins, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, and biotin, were demonstrable in nonstimulated human saliva.

In addition, it has been shown that by increasingly drastic extraction methods, increasingly larger amounts of activity are usually evidenced.

Finally, the levels of activity of free pantothenic acid and riboflavin were not increased after the ingestion of a standard meal, whereas the level of biotin activity was increased.