What is normal saline?

Normal saline, also known as sterile normal saline or 0.9% sodium chloride solution, is an aqueous solution of sodium chloride that has an osmotic pressure approximately equal to that of human plasma. Its main components include sodium chloride and distilled water. Normal saline helps maintain normal osmotic pressure in cells, preserving the balance of fluids inside and outside the cells, and preventing cells from rupturing due to excessive water intake or shrinking due to water loss. Normal saline is widely used in intravenous infusions, wound irrigation, and blood volume replacement. Because its osmotic pressure is close to that of human plasma, it does not cause an imbalance in the osmotic pressure of intracellular and extracellular fluids after being introduced into the body, and can be safely and effectively absorbed and utilized by the body. In addition, normal saline can also be used to prepare other medication solutions for pharmaceutical treatments.