METHYLENE BLUE

Chemical properties

green fine crystalline powder

The Uses of METHYLENE BLUE

Methylene blue is used as a dye for a number of different staining procedures, such as Wright's stain and Jenner's stain. Since it is a temporary staining technique, methylene blue can also be used to examine RNA or DNA under the microscope or in a gel. I

The Uses of METHYLENE BLUE

Methylene blue is used as a dye in different staining procedures viz. Wright's stain and Jenner's stain. It also serves as an indicator and medicine. Further, it is used to examine RNA and DNA under the microscope or in a gel. It is widely used as a redox indicator in analytical chemistry. It acts as a photosensitizer utilized to generate singlet oxygen in order to make organic peroxides by a Diels-Alder reaction. It is also used in the sulfide analysis. It plays an important role in aquaculture to treat fungal infections.

General Description

Methylene Blue (MB) is a basic histological dye.

Biochem/physiol Actions

Methylene blue is used as a bacteriologic stain or dye and indicator. It mediates the inactivation of enveloped viruses in plasma, when exposed to visible light. It is an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase and guanylate cyclase. It also plays a key role in medicine as an antimalarial agent, reducing agent in methemoglobinemia and inducer of apoptosis in cancer cells.