Inhibition of Bacterial Growth in Human Saliva by Vitamins B₁, B₂, and B₆

¹ Stomatological Clinic, Budapest University School of Medicine and Dentistry; National Institute of Dermatology and Venereology, Budapest, Hungary

Normal human saliva was incubated under various conditions for bacteriologic study. Strains of Staphylococcus aureus, S. albus, non-hemolytic group A Streptococcus, and Sarcinae were identified in it. These bacteria showed significantly less growth if they were cultured with 0.02 per cent thiamin hydrochloride, 0.04 per cent riboflavin, and 0.02 per cent pyridoxine hydrochloride (singly or in their mixture) added to saliva prior to incubation. This result was not due to the simple lowering of pH which occurred with the addition of vitamin solutions. The findings indicate that saliva is essential for the observed bacteriostatic action of these B vitamins. The mechanism of action of this effect is under investigation.