The stability of benzodiazepines in saliva.

The stability of some selected benzodiazepines in saliva has been studied. The benzodiazepines nitrazepam and clonazepam were found to be unstable in saliva at room temperature and nitrazepam was converted into 7-aminonitrazepam. The conversion rate of nitrazepam was strongly dependent on the composition of the subject's saliva. Nitro-reduction may complicate the use of saliva in epidemiological studies on drugs and driving. This could occur particularly if saliva drug concentrations are to be used as a quantitative measure of driving performance.