Salivary levels of gramicidin after use of a tyrothricin lozenge and a tyrothricin gargle/mouth-wash.

Salivary levels and total salivary recovery of gramicidin were determined by high performance liquid chromatography in healthy volunteers after administration of a tyrothricin lozenge and a tyrothricin gargle/mouth-wash. Average peak values of gramicidin after sucking the lozenge were 37.5 mg/l and were usually reached within the five minutes. After use of the lozenge mean total recovery of gramicidin in saliva was 44% within the first 30 minutes. After application of the gargle/mouth-wash about 11% was retained in the oral cavity and excreted with saliva within the following 30 minutes. The implications of these findings are discussed.