Abstract
Salivary glucometry was assessed as a non-invasive monitor for blood glucose. Glucose concentration in the saliva and perfusate were compared in the isolated perfused submandibular glands of rats and rabbits. The ratio of saliva glucose to perfusate glucose (S/P-G) was in reciprocal relationship to the rate of fluid secretion. The saliva glucose concentration was higher as the saliva was secreted at lower rate. As the fluid secretion was higher, the value of S/P-G decreased and reached to the constant value. The present findings support that blood glucose can be estimated from the salivary glucometery when the fluid secretion rate is enough high. For practical application, the saliva was sampled from ductal openings of the sublingual/submandibular glands and the parotid gland of 42 adult human volunteers (20-28 years old) under resting and salivary stimulation with oral application of a sweet tablet. The ratio of salivary glucose to blood glucose (S/B-G) was examined among different individuals. The salivary flow rates increased by stimulation with a sweat tablet. It was shown that salivary glucose concentration showed well correlation with blood glucose under this stimulatory condition. [Jpn J Physiol 55 Suppl:S84 (2005)]
