Salivary amylase activity of the aged.
Previous studies from America and Japan have reported that salivary amylase activity was reduced in the elderly. In contrast to these studies, a recent Chinese study reported an increase in salivary amylase activity in the aged. Our study examined approximately equal numbers of Chinese and non-Chinese Americans. The concentration of salivary amylase was estimated from the activity obtained with a colormetric coupled assay utilizing 4NP-G7. Activity was found to be increased in the aged. Our data are discussed with respect to the claims of the previous studies.
Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine.
C H
CH
Wang
C A
CA
Woolfolk
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000681:Amylases / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012463:Saliva / Q000201:enzymology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States
D000681:Amylases