title: The effect of sub-inhibitory concentrations of chlorhexidine on the proteolytic activity of Bacteroides gingivalis.
abstract: Bacteroides gingivalis was grown in the presence of chlorhexidine at concentrations lower than the minimum inhibitory concentration (1.25 mg/l). These sub-inhibitory concentrations were found to stimulate growth in terms of an increase in the number of viable cells, the greatest increase being at a concentration of 0.75 mg/l of chlorhexidine. The total proteolytic activity of the cultures (assayed by means of azocasein hydrolysis) grown in the presence of chlorhexidine and their specific activities (per 10(6) cells) were found to be less than those of the cultures grown in the absence of chlorhexidine. In the case of the trypsin-like activity of the microorganism, a different pattern was found. Thus, although the specific activities of the chlorhexidine-grown cultures were lower than those of the chlorhexidine-free cultures, the total activity in the chlorhexidine-grown cultures was greater.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pathology and Immunology, Institute of Dental Surgery, London, UK.
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Millward
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D001439:Bacteroides / Q000201:enzymology*; D002364:Caseins / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002364:Caseins; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; C026018:azocasein; D002710:Chlorhexidine