Salivary levels of gramicidin after use of a tyrothricin-containing gargle/mouth-wash and tyrothricin lozenges

Three pharmaceutical preparations for the disinfection of the oropharynx were tested with regard to the gramicidin concentration obtained in the saliva after their appropriate application. Peak values followed a dose-concentration relationship and were highest after sucking a lozenge containing 10 mg tyrothricin (mean 109.3 mg/L) followed by that of a gargle/mouth-wash containing 667 mg tyrothricin/L (mean 21.1 mg/L) and of a lozenge containing 4 mg tyrothricin (mean 14.4 mg/L).