The effects of glycopyrrolate on oral mucous host defenses in healthy volunteers

We studied the effects of glycopyrrolate on oral mucous host defenses. Sing le IV doses of glycopyrrolate (4 mu g/ kg) or placebo were administered to 12 healthy volunteers in a randomized, double-blinded, cross-over study. Sa livary flow rates and the concentrations/ activities of total protein, amyl ase, and nonimmunologic (lysozyme, lactoferrin, myeloperoxidase, total sali vary peroxidase, and thiocyanate) and immunologic (total immunoglobulin A, immunoglobulin G, and immunoglobulin M) mucous host defense factors were de termined for paraffin-stimulated whole saliva before and 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, a nd 48 h after drug administration. Glycopyrrolate serum concentrations were determined before and 2, 4, 6, 10, 15, and 30 min and 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h after IV drug injection. Salivary flow rates were decreased significan tly for 12 h after glycopyrrolate injection, compared with saline injection . The concentrations of immunologic and nonimmunologic defense factors were increased in the glycopyrrolate group, and differences between the groups were found for all factors (P < 0.05-0.001) except lysozyme and total saliv ary peroxidase. In contrast, because of the reduced flow rate, the output o f all defense factors into the saliva was decreased after glycopyrrolate in jection, compared with saline injection. Glycopyrrolate thus decreases the output of salivary host defense factors into the oral cavity.