De novo glucan synthesis by mutants streptococcal glucosyltransferases present in pellicle promotes firm binding of Streptococcus gordonii to tooth surfaces.

Adherence of 3H-labelled cells of Streptococcus gordonii and Streptococcus milleri to artificial pellicles prepared from saliva supplemented with glucosyltransferases from mutants streptococci was examined using a new assay for sucrose-dependent cell-to-pellicle attachment. Results indicate that S. gordonii, but not S. milleri, could attach tightly to hydroxylapatite surfaces through de novo glucan synthesis by mutants streptococcal glucosyltransferases present in the experimental salivary pellicles.

[Pharmacological study of kako-bushi-matsu: analgesic action and acute toxicity].

The analgesic effect and the acute toxicity of a medical drug "kako-bushi-matsu" (S-01), which was produced through several processing of raw aconite roots, were examined in comparison with those of ibuprofen, indomethacin and aspirin. S-01 (p.o.) inhibited the acetic acid- and phenylquinone-induced writhing dose-dependently. From the ED50 values, indomethacin showed more potent inhibitory action on the phenylquinone-induced writhing than on the acetic acid-induced writhing. Ibuprofen and aspirin showed the same tendency as indomethacin. The potency of the writhing inhibition by S-01 was almost to the same degree in both writhing methods. In the tail pressure method, S-01 raised the pain threshold ratio to almost the same degree as ibuprofen did. In Randall-Selitto's method, the analgesic effect of S-01 on inflamed foot was less than that of ibuprofen. In the normal foot, S-01 raised the pain threshold ratio dose-dependently, but ibuprofen did not influence the pain threshold ratio. On adjuvant-induced arthritic pain, S-01 and ibuprofen had an analgesic action, and this action of S-01 was less than that of ibuprofen. The oral LD50 value of S-01 was more than 10,000 mg/kg in mice and rats of both sexes. The above evidence indicates that S-01 has analgesic action and suggests that the mode of the analgesic action of S-01 may differ from those of ibuprofen, indomethacin and aspirin, which inhibit prostaglandin biosynthesis.