DEHYDROGENASE ENZYMES IN HUMAN SALIVA

The concentrations of lactate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, l-glutamate dehydrogenase and β-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase in whole saliva, parotid saliva, submandibular saliva and sublingual saliva have been estimated and the significance of these results in terms of metabolic pathways discussed. None of the enzymes were found in individual gland secretions but only glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase was absent from whole saliva. The enzymes present were found to be bacterial in origin. The amounts of enzymes present were too small for electrophoretic detection in every case so that iso-enzyme patterns could not be studied. © 1968.