Determination of the optimal method for measuring malondialdehyde in human saliva.

While few methodological studies have been published on the salivary measurement of malondialdehyde (MDA), none have precisely detailed the analytical method. This work presents the development of an analytical method for MDA measurement in microvolumes of saliva samples from healthy individuals, using thiobarbituric acid derivatization and fluorescence reading of the formed compound. This method was progressively designed to meet specific constraints such as the limited sample volume available, cost-effectiveness of each assay, time required for analysis and costs.