Page 29 - Analityka 1/2016

Diagnostic potential of saliva polemiki, problemy

IN THE CONTEXT OF DETERMINATION OF THIOL AMINOACIDS AND THEIR LINKAGE
WITH DISEASES

Cancers and cardiovascular diseases are the most frequent reasons of mortality of humans in industrialized coun-
tries, including Poland. It is also well established that plasma homocysteine as well as its metabolites including
cysteine and glutathione are associated with these disorders and can act as a strong predictors of mortality in
cardiovascular patients. For diagnostic purposes the biological fluids most commonly analyzed are blood and
plasma, but there is a push to find an alternatives to them for clinical, pharmacological and pharmacokinetics
studies. Contrary to plasma, saliva offers a fast and non-invasive matrix sampling for determining different species,
making it a suitable alternative. Saliva collection eases the diagnostic process especially in children and elderly
patients, for whom blood removal is usually difficult and traumatic. Interestingly, it has been shown that various
drugs and metabolites as well as biomarkers can be detected in saliva with high correlation to blood plasma levels.

ANALITYKA – NUMER 1, ROK (XVII) 2016 65