Hyaluronic acid and other glycosaminoglycans of the human palatal tonsils.

The aim of this study was to determine whether the proportions of individual glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) change with bacterial infection of the human palatal tonsils and after recovery as compared with the physiological state of the palatal tonsils. In tonsillitis the greatest changes were related to hyaluronic acid (decrease) and heparin (increase). In the cured palatal tonsils the content of GAG components was found to return to that of the physiological state of the tonsils. The changes in GAG components in the cured palatal tonsils may possible contribute to the reversal of the human tonsillitis. The supposition is drawn that also physiological function of the cured tonsils is resumed.