Patent ID: 8722328

Claim:
A method for extracting a target molecule from a biological sample preserved in a liquid cytology preservative solution, the method comprising: A) contacting the biological sample with a scavenger solution comprising a scavenging agent comprising at least one terminal hydrazine group; B) treating the biological sample under conditions sufficient to release the nucleic acid or protein from the biological sample; and C) isolating the target molecule, wherein the scavenging agent is selected from the group consisting of: a) a compound according to formula I: b) a compound according to formula II: and c) semicarbazide; thiosemicarbazide; carbazide; thiocarbazide; N-aminoguanidine and a salt thereof; N,N-diaminoguanidine and a salt thereof; acetylhydrazide; adipic acid dihydrazide; succinic acid dihydrazide; formic hydrazide; maleic acid dihydrazide; malonic acid dihydrazide; benzenesulfonylhydrazide; tosylhydrazide; methylsulfonylhydrazide, wherein: R 1 C 1 -C 12 alkyl; C 1 -C 12 alkenyl; C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl; C 3 -C 6 cycloalkenyl; C 6 -C l0 aryl; and C 6 -C 10 heteroaryl; R 2 which in each instance may be the same or different, and is selected from the group consisting of: m is an integer selected from the group consisting of 0 and 1; and n is an integer selected from the group consisting of 1 and 2; wherein the scavenging agent is optionally modified so as to increase solubility in water.