Volatiles of exogenous origin from the human oral cavity.

The volatiles found in the headspace above male and female saliva were examined by combined gas chromatography--mass spectrometry. This had led to the identification of a number of constituents of exogenous origin. The most likely source of these products are atmospheric and water pollutants as well as food stuffs and cosmetic products. Volatiles from saliva represent a potential medium for the detection of reproductive states as well as local and systemic diseases. Consequently, knowledge of compounds not arising from the body's metabolic process if important to prevent their identification as anomalous metabolites.

Quantitative differences in volatiles from healthy mouths and mouths with periodontitis.

It has been suggested that orally derived volatile aromatic amines may be of possible diagnostic use and may contribute to the etiology or pathogenesis of periodontal disease. Using gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, we identified and quantitated pyridine and picolines in the headspace of incubated whole saliva from healthy and diseased subjects. The oral health of subjects was evaluated by four standard oral-health indices. Volatile aromatic amines were virtually absent from subjects with healthy oral cavities, but were present in the oral cavities of subjects with periodontitis to the extent of 636.4 (SEM 154.7) ng/5 mL of saliva. Pyridine and picolines in saliva of diseased subjects may be related to the disease process.

Biochemical studies of taste sensation--VIII. Partial characterization of alanine-binding taste receptor sites of catfish Ictalurus punctatus using mercurials, sulfhydryl reagents, trypsin and phospholipase C.

1. Taste receptors for L-alanine in the channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus have been partially characterized. The binding activity, which is localized to a sedimentable fraction (Fraction P2), was assayed with L-[3H]alanine as the ligand. 2. Addition of HgCl2 or p-mercuribenzoate to the assay at 0.1-1 mM markedly inhibited binding. The effect was not reversible and was unaffected by increased L-alanine in the binding assay. 3. The sulfhydryl reagents iodoacetate, 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid), arsenite, and N-ethylmaleimide did not show appreciable inhibition of binding. The results suggest that the inhibitory effect of mercurials is not on specific sulfhydryl groups at alanine-binding sites. 4. Treatment of Fraction P2 with phospholipase C decreased binding activity and treatment with trypsin led to increased binding activity.