Hematoxylin (CI 75290) is a compound obtained from the legume plant Haematoxylum campechianum L. , also known as logwood. It is a natural product that, when oxidized, forms a dark purple substance called hematein.
It is used in histology to stain the anionic (acidic) components of tissues, giving them a violet colour. It intensely stains cell nuclei, since these contain nucleic acids rich in acid radicals.
As obtained from the plant and even after undergoing the oxidation process, its staining capacity is very limited. Therefore, it must be combined with metal ions, especially iron (III) or aluminum (II) salts, which act as mordants.
Although hematoxylin is a neutral salt, it is often referred to as a basic dye, since the chromophores component resides in the cationic (basic) complex of hematoxylin. It should be noted that histological staining with hematoxylin does not indicate the chemical composition of the cellular components as much as the density of negative electrical charges in them.
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