What is saline?

Saline, also known as saline solution, is a mixture of salt and water. It is commonly used for various medical, scientific, and practical purposes due to its isotonic nature, which means it has a similar concentration of salt as bodily fluids. This makes it compatible with human tissues and minimizes the risk of adverse reactions.

In medicine, saline is often used as an intravenous fluid to restore electrolyte balance and hydration in patients. It can also be used to clean wounds, irrigate body cavities, and dilute medications for injection.

Saline solution is also used in laboratory settings for various experiments, including cell culture and other biological research. Additionally, it can be used for cleaning contact lenses, nasal passages, and even for cooking in some culinary applications.

The most common formulation of saline solution is known as normal saline or physiological saline, which contains 0.9% sodium chloride (table salt) dissolved in water. However, other concentrations can be used for specific purposes, such as hypertonic or hypotonic saline solutions, which have higher or lower salt concentrations, respectively.