Amylase is an enzyme that break starch down to sugar. Amylase is present in the saliva of humans. α-Amylase is the major form found in fungi, seeds, humans and other mammals. α-Amylase is a calcium metalloenzyme which completely unable to function in the absence of calcium. In humans, both the pancreatic and salivary amylases are major digestive enzymes. Increased amylase levels in humans are associated with salivary trauma, mumps because of renal failure, pancreatitis and inflammation of the salivary glands.

 The Amylase Activity Colorimetric Assay Kit provides a sensitive, simple, fast and convenient way for detection of α-amylase activity in various samples based on colorimetric method. The assay utilizes ethylidene-pNP-G7 as the substrate. In the assay, the substrate is specifically cleaved by α-amylase to produce the smaller fragments, which can be acted upon by α-glucosidase that causes the ultimate release of the chromophore (at 405 nm). The kit can detect as low as 0.2 mU α-amylase content.