Deptt. of Physiology, Saraswati Institute of Medical Sciences, NH-24, Anwarpur, Hapur, U.P., 245 304.
Saliva can be of forensic significance because traces of drugs that are circulating in the body can be present in saliva. The composition of the saliva accurately mirrors the proteins that are present in both the blood and the urine. Thus, testing of saliva, which is easier and less obtrusive than obtaining a blood or urine sample, can be used for forensic analysis. Promising preliminary research results have shown that aberrant genetic material (deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA) and the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) that helps process the genetic information into a protein from cells can also be detected in saliva. This review evaluates the use of saliva for forensic analysis.
Saliva, collection of saliva, saliva detection, salivary RNA, wild life forensics
