Concentration of iodide, pertechnetate thiocyanate, and bromide in saliva from parotid, submandibular, and minor salivary glands in man.

Abstract

Abstract Parotid, submandibular, and labial saliva was collected following administration of a mixture containing 132 I − , 99m Tc − , 35 SCN − , and 82 Br − . A biopsy of the labial salivary glands was also obtained from some patients. In all secretions the ions were concentrated in the order I − > SCN − > TcO 4 − ⩾ Br − The concentration gradient for I − was higher in mucous labial saliva than in serous parotid and mixed submandibular saliva, whereas the TcO 4 − , SCN − , and Br − concentration gradients were higher in parotid than in submandibular saliva and not significantly different in parotid and labial saliva. The I − , TcO 4 − , and SCN − concentration gradients in parotid saliva correlated with the corresponding gradients in submandibular saliva and the concentration gradients for TcO 4 − and SCN − correlated with that for I − in the 3 secretions. The I−TcO4− ratio was higher in labial saliva (2.6) than in submandibular saliva (2.0) and parotid saliva (1.8), and did not change with salivary flow rate. Comparable results were obtained for the I−SCN− ratio. The order was the same for the I−Br− ratio, but this ratio varied with salivary flow rate. The concentration gradient of I − , TcO 4 − , and SCN − was inhibited by perchlorate more in parotid than in labial saliva.