EFFECT OF DEXTRANASE ON PLAQUE FORMATION IN MACACA MULATA

Abstract

The present experiments were made by mixing dextranase with a soft feed for Macaca mulata, so as to both clinically and biochemically investigate the effect of this enzyme on the plaque formation and the mechanism of its effect. As a result of the proper area method, the test animals treated with dextranase and the control animals showed a significant difference in plaque formation at any stage, 2, 4, 7, 14, or 21 days after the start of the experiments (p <0.01). Equal quantity of samples of the 7 day old dental plaque was then collected from both the test and control animals; soluble and insoluble polysaccharide fractions were extracted from the samples, and assayed for total sugars. The soluble polysaccharide content in the samples from the group treated with dextranase decreased to about 1/100 of that in the samples from the control group, and the insoluble polysaccharide content in the former decreased to about one-half of that in the latter. The polysaccharide fractions so extracted were then hydrolyzed, enzymolyzed, and analyzed by infrared absorption spectrometry, and it was revealed that the major part of the soluble polysaccharide fraction was composed of soluble dextran-like substances, and that of the insoluble fraction consisted of insoluble dextran-like substances.