PHYLLOQUINONE IN GINGIVAL CREVICULAR FLUID IN ADULT PERIODONTITIS

Phylloquinone is a lipid soluble vitamin which is an absolute growth r equirement for black-pigmented anaerobes, many of which are implicated in the aetiology of periodontal diseases. This cross-sectional study aimed to detect the levels of phylloquinone in GCF from healthy and di seased sites in subjects with adult periodontitis, in order to investi gate further its potential role in the disease process. The sample con sisted of eighteen patients with adult periodontitis. Periodontal prob ing depths, attachment levels and gingival indices were recorded from one healthy and one diseased site in each subject. GCF was sampled and the amount of phylloquinone in each sample was determined using rever se-phase high performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrochem ical detection. The mean amount of phylloquinone in accumulated GCF fr om diseased sites was 406 pg/site and 80 pg/site from healthy sites (p =0.013). When the amounts of phylloquinone in GCF were expressed as co ncentrations the values were 228 ng/ml and 3350 ng/ml for diseased and healthy sites respectively (p=0.084). These findings suggest the leve ls of phylloquinone in GCF differs in periodontal health and disease i n subjects with adult periodontitis. The total phylloquinone at diseas ed sites may provide the nutritional requirements favouring the growth of black-pigmented anaerobes.