Biochemical evaluation in human saliva with special reference to ovulation detection.

ABSTRACT

Aim: The aim of the present study was to investigate the level of salivary sialic acids and glycosaminoglycans with reference to salivary hormones during the normal menstrual cycle. Settings and Design: Fifty women volunteers were selected for the present study. Materials and Methods: Saliva was collected from 50 women and ovulation was detected in women with normal menstrual cycles through basal body temperature (BBT), ultrasound and salivary ferning. Samples were divided into five categories, as prepubertal (6-9 years), pre-ovulatory phase (6-12 days), ovulatory phase (13-14 days), postovulatory phase (15-26 days) and menopause (above 45 years). Each sample was subjected to evaluation of the sialic acids and glycosaminoglycans along with salivary hormones. Results: The result revealed that the ovulatory phase has increased sialic acid and glycosaminoglycans during the menstrual cycle when compared with that of the other phases. Consequently, an increased level of hormones such as luteinizing hormone and estrogen during the ovulatory period when compared to that of the pre-ovulatory and postovulatory periods appeared to be noteworthy. Statistically, analysis was performed using one way-ANOVA (LSD; post hoc method) to determine the significance as P < 0.001, 0.01, 0.05 in between the reproductive phases of the menstrual cycle. Conclusion: This study concluded that saliva-specific carbohydrates in the ovulatory saliva make the possibility to develop a biomarker for detection of ovulation by non-invasive methods.