Tryptophane in Carbohydrate Metabolism

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Abstract
The saliva of individuals with rampant active caries with 1% cornstarch, develops in a 2-hr. interval at room temp. about 8 times as much acid as does the saliva of persons free from caries. The ingestion of crystalline tryptophane by a small group of volunteers changed the amt. of acid produced under these conditions appreciably. Caution was used to keep the dosage of tryptophane sufficiently low to avoid possible hypoglycemia. An hypothesis is proposed that tryptophane, or a similar indole containing molecule, as part of an enzyme system in the saliva, leads to a lessening of acid out of starch by condensation with an aldehyde group during starch degradation. In the course of microscopic examination of saliva after acid hydrolysis, tyrosine was found. This microscopic finding was readily confirmed chemically with Millon''s reagent.

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