Screening of some indigenous herbal dyes for use in plant histological staining

Ahmed

J Ethnobiology Ethnomedicine

et al. 2014

BackgroundDyes derived from plants have an extensive history of use for coloring food and clothing in Dong communities and other indigenous areas in the uplands of China. In addition to use as coloring agents, Dong communities have historically utilized dye plants for their value for enhancing the nutritive, medicinal and preservative properties of foods. However, the persistence of plant-derived dyes and associated cultural practices and traditional knowledge is threatened with rapid socio-economic change in China. Research is needed to document the ethnobotany of dye plants in indigenous communities towards their conservation and potential commercialization as a sustainable means of supporting local development initiatives.MethodsSemi-structured surveys on plants used for coloring agents and associated traditional knowledge were conducted in fifteen Dong villages of Tongdao County in Hunan Province of South Central China during 2011–2012. Transect walks were carried out with key informants identified from semi-structured surveys to collect samples and voucher specimens for each documented plant species for taxonomic identification.ResultsDong households at the study sites utilize the flowers, bark, stems, tubers and roots of 13 plant species from 9 families as dyes to color their customary clothing and food. Out of the documented plants, a total of 7 are used for coloring food, 3 for coloring clothing and 3 for both food and clothing. Documented plants consist of 3 species that yield black pigments, 3 for brownish red/russet pigments, 3 for red pigments, 2 for dark blue pigments and 2 for yellow pigments. In addition to dyes, the plants have multiple uses including medicinal, ornamental, sacrificial, edible, and for timber.ConclusionsThe use of dyes derived from plants persists at the study sites for their important role in expressing Dong cultural identity through customary clothing and food. Further research is needed to evaluate the safety of dye plants, their efficacy in enhancing food items and their commercial potential. Conservation policies and management plans are called for to preserve these ethnobotanical resources in a sustainable manner that supports local livelihoods while maintaining cultural practices.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ethnobotany of dye plants in Dong communities of China

Ahmed

J Ethnobiology Ethnomedicine

et al. 2014

“…Preparation of these dyes also requires treatment with chemical agents to finally formulate the end product, i.e., the dye available to us in the laboratories. [2]…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Various studies have demonstrated the use of natural dyes for use in plant as well as animal histological studies and have found satisfactory results in comparison to the synthetic stains used. [245] Despite various shortcomings with the use of natural stains, they can still be sought as an analogous to the conventional stains used. [6] However, continuum of studies using natural dyes in human tissues is very narrow and very minimal data in this regard is available in the literature.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural stains Zingiber officinale Roscoe (ginger) and Curcuma longa L. (turmeric) – A substitute to eosin

Sudhakaran

Hallikeri

Babu

2018

AYU

Background: Stained slides are of the utmost source of information in pathology. The routine stains utilize synthetic dyes which pose various health hazards which necessitate the importance of natural extracts as a histological stain. Aims: The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy of ginger and turmeric extracts as histological dyes in tissues keeping eosin as standard. Objectives: The objective of this study is to compare the staining potential, intensity, specificity, and shelf life of ginger and termuric extract dyes. Materials and Methods: Extracts of fresh rhizomes of Zingiber officinale Roscoe and Curcuma longa L. were obtained by dissolving them in alcohol, which was used to stain sections of 25 cases. Observer 1 compared the staining intensity, while observers 2 and 3 assessed preset parameters at regular intervals and subjected to Kappa statistics and Mann–Whitney U-test. Results: Z . officinale and C . longa solutions had pH 4–5 and temperature 24°C–27°C. Z . officinale showed better staining intensity and specificity to the cytoplasm and basic components of connective tissue as compared to C . longa . Crispness ( P = 0.01) and background staining ( P = 0.05) showed a significant difference. Shelf life of Z . officinale was better than C . longa . Conclusion: Z . officinale gave a better staining than C . longa and was found to be closest to eosin and is easily available, cost-effective and biodegradable.

“…Even before people began to spin yarn and weave cloth, they applied coloured earth, plant saps and juices directly to their skin; this was the first type of cosmetic (Maria 2009). In Nigeria, and among Yorubas, dyes from the heartwood of Pterocarpus osun Craib had been in use since time immemorial, as cosmetics, for painting human body during war and as medicine for treating skin diseases (Akinloye et al 2010). The indigo colour from the young leaf of Lonchocarpus cyanescens (Schum & Thorn) Benth is used among Yoruba tribe of Nigeria to make natural textile material (adire), to paint houses floors and walls, as well as to colour young chicken so as to protect them from predators (such as hawk etc).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the potential of some phytodyes as histological stains in wood anatomy

Akinloye¹,

Illoh²

2018

Trop. Plant Res.

Self Cite

The potential of some phytodyes were examined to obtain cheap, non-toxic and ecofriendly stains for use in wood anatomy. Phytodyes from Enantia cholorantha, Harungana madagascariensis, Hisbiscus sabdariffa, Sarcocephalus latifolius, Sphenocentrum jollyanum, and Sorghum bicolor were used to stain wood sections and macerates. All the extracts had good affinity for wood fibre and other lignified tissues except Hibiscus sabdariffa. The results of the absorption spectrum of these dyes revealed a range of wavelength of absorption between 300.00 and 900.00 nm. These wavelengths fall within the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum confirming the presence of colour imparting chromophores in the dyes. Each of the phytodye has minimum of two peaks, indicating that each dye had a minimum of two colour imparting chromophores. All the dyes were acidic with pH range of 2.80 to 5.90. The histochemical reactions of all the phytodyes were similar in that they all imparted their colours indiscriminately on all cells but fibre and lignified tissues took up the dyes more deeply. They were specific when used with Alican blue which have affinity for thin walled cells. Therefore, this study revealed that these dyes could be used solitarily or in combination with artificial dyes for wood histological staining.