IDENTIFICATION OF BRADYKININ, SUBSTANCE-P, AND NEUROKININ-A IN HUMAN DENTAL-PULP

Methodology was developed that uses reverse phase, high performance li quid chromatography (HPLC) to identify and quantify bradykinin, substa nce P, and neurokinin A contained in dental pulp tissue, Pulp tissue w as prepared and homogenized from teeth frozen in liquid nitrogen. Know n amounts of three substances found in inflamed tissue were added to t he homogenized tissue and also to bovine serum albumin (BSA) (positive control), and supernatants were analyzed using HPLC, Other pulp tissu e was prepared and analyzed without the addition of the substances, Re covery from the pulp and BSA with added substances was similar, with b radykinin recovered maximally, In pulp tissue without additions, all t hree substances were recovered, Thus HPLC appears to be a viable alter native to other methods for identification of these substances and all ows for their quantification.