The interest in the use of the salivary matrix is increasing because, in addition to providing metabolic information, it can be collected through a simple, non-invasive method and without medical supervision.
Cortisol and Cortisone are steroid hormones synthesized in the adrenal glands starting from cholesterol. Cortisol and Cortisone are a useful target in the evaluation of mineralocorticoid or glucocorticoid excess, adrenal congenital hyperplasia and adrenal insufficiency. Furthermore, salivary cortisol increases in Cushing's syndrome, decrease in Addison's disease and can be associated with cardiovascular disease, anti- inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects.

The evaluation of salivary Cortisol and Cortisone is a good indicator of concentrations related to the proportion of free Cortisol and Cortisone, therefore not linked to transport proteins, in serum and plasma. For this reason, the analytes are at very low concentrations in the saliva samples (about 5 times lower than plasma and serum). Therefore, it is necessary to have a sensitive and specific analytical technology to measure these low concentrations of Cortisol and Cortisone present in saliva.