The recovery of proteolytic activity using the Salivette system

The recovery of proteolytic activity from human saliva was investigated using the Salivette system. Comparison of activity measurements with those obtained from whole saliva indicated that the Salivette system allowed increased recovery of proteolytic activity suggesting minimal enzyme binding to the cotton roll. The significance of these results is that previous estimates of proteolytic activity in mixed saliva may not have been due to increasing release of proteases by stimulation of secretion, but by altered binding properties of the sampling system used.