Rose bengal
Encyclopedia
Rose Bengal is a stain
. Its sodium salt is commonly used in eye drop
s to stain damaged conjunctiva
l and cornea
l cells and thereby identify damage to the eye
. The stain is also used in the preparation of Foraminifera
for microscopic analysis, allowing the distinction between forms that were alive or dead at the time of collection.
A form of Rose Bengal is also being studied as a treatment for certain cancers and skin conditions. The cancer formulation of the drug, known as PV-10, is currently undergoing clinical trials for melanoma
and breast cancer
. The company also has formulated a drug based on Rose Bengal for the treatment of eczema
and psoriasis
; this drug, PH-10, is currently in clinical trials as well.
from triplet oxygen
. The singlet oxygen can then undergo a variety of useful reactions, particularly [2 + 2] cycloaddition
s with alkene
s and similar systems.
Rose Bengal is also used in animal models of ischemic stroke
(photothrombotic stroke models) in biomedical research. A bolus of the compound is injected into the venous system. Then the region of interest (e.g., the cerebral cortex) is exposed and illuminated by LASER light of 561 nm. A thrombus is formed in the illuminated blood vessels, causing a stroke in the dependent brain tissue.
Rose bengal has been used for 50 years to diagnose liver and eye cancer. It has also been used as an insecticide.
Rose Bengal is being researched as an agent in creating nano sutures. Wounds are painted on both sides with it and then illuminated with an intense light. This links the tiny collagen fibers together sealing the wound. Healing is faster and the seal reduces chances of infection.
Rose Bengal is used in several microbiological media, including Cooke's Rose Bengal agar, to suppress bacterial growth.
.
Staining (biology)
Staining is an auxiliary technique used in microscopy to enhance contrast in the microscopic image. Stains and dyes are frequently used in biology and medicine to highlight structures in biological tissues for viewing, often with the aid of different microscopes...
. Its sodium salt is commonly used in eye drop
Eye drop
Eye drops are saline-containing drops used as a route to administer medication in the eye. Depending on the condition being treated, they may contain steroids, antihistamines, sympathomimetics, beta receptor blockers, parasympathomimetics, parasympatholytics, prostaglandins, non-steroidal...
s to stain damaged conjunctiva
Conjunctiva
The conjunctiva covers the sclera and lines the inside of the eyelids. It is composed of rare stratified columnar epithelium.-Function:...
l and cornea
Cornea
The cornea is the transparent front part of the eye that covers the iris, pupil, and anterior chamber. Together with the lens, the cornea refracts light, with the cornea accounting for approximately two-thirds of the eye's total optical power. In humans, the refractive power of the cornea is...
l cells and thereby identify damage to the eye
Human eye
The human eye is an organ which reacts to light for several purposes. As a conscious sense organ, the eye allows vision. Rod and cone cells in the retina allow conscious light perception and vision including color differentiation and the perception of depth...
. The stain is also used in the preparation of Foraminifera
Foraminifera
The Foraminifera , or forams for short, are a large group of amoeboid protists which are among the commonest plankton species. They have reticulating pseudopods, fine strands of cytoplasm that branch and merge to form a dynamic net...
for microscopic analysis, allowing the distinction between forms that were alive or dead at the time of collection.
A form of Rose Bengal is also being studied as a treatment for certain cancers and skin conditions. The cancer formulation of the drug, known as PV-10, is currently undergoing clinical trials for melanoma
Melanoma
Melanoma is a malignant tumor of melanocytes. Melanocytes are cells that produce the dark pigment, melanin, which is responsible for the color of skin. They predominantly occur in skin, but are also found in other parts of the body, including the bowel and the eye...
and breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
. The company also has formulated a drug based on Rose Bengal for the treatment of eczema
Eczema
Eczema is a form of dermatitis, or inflammation of the epidermis . In England, an estimated 5.7 million or about one in every nine people have been diagnosed with the disease by a clinician at some point in their lives.The term eczema is broadly applied to a range of persistent skin conditions...
and psoriasis
Psoriasis
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that appears on the skin. It occurs when the immune system mistakes the skin cells as a pathogen, and sends out faulty signals that speed up the growth cycle of skin cells. Psoriasis is not contagious. However, psoriasis has been linked to an increased risk of...
; this drug, PH-10, is currently in clinical trials as well.
Chemical applications
Rose Bengal is also used in synthetic chemistry to generate singlet oxygenSinglet oxygen
Singlet oxygen is the common name used for the diamagnetic form of molecular oxygen , which is less stable than the normal triplet oxygen. Because of its unusual properties, singlet oxygen can persist for over an hour at room temperature, depending on the environment...
from triplet oxygen
Triplet oxygen
Triplet oxygen is the ground state of the oxygen molecule. The electron configuration of the molecule has two unpaired electrons occupying two degenerate molecular orbitals...
. The singlet oxygen can then undergo a variety of useful reactions, particularly [2 + 2] cycloaddition
Cycloaddition
A cycloaddition is a pericyclic chemical reaction, in which "two or more unsaturated molecules combine with the formation of a cyclic adduct in which there is a net reduction of the bond multiplicity." The resulting reaction is a cyclization reaction.Cycloadditions are usually described by the...
s with alkene
Alkene
In organic chemistry, an alkene, olefin, or olefine is an unsaturated chemical compound containing at least one carbon-to-carbon double bond...
s and similar systems.
Biological applications
PV-10 was found to cause an observable response in 60 percent of tumors treated, according to researchers in a phase II melanoma study. Locoregional disease control was observed in 75 percent of patients. Also confirmed was a "bystander effect", previously observed in the phase I trial, whereby untreated lesions responded to treatment as well, potentially due to immune system response. These data were based on the interim results of the first 40 patients treated in an 80 patient study.Rose Bengal is also used in animal models of ischemic stroke
Animal models of ischemic stroke
Animal models of ischemic stroke are procedures inducing cerebral ischemia. The aim is the study of basic processes or potential therapeutic interventions in this disease, and the extension of the pathophysiological knowledge on and/or the improvement of medical treatment of human ischemic...
(photothrombotic stroke models) in biomedical research. A bolus of the compound is injected into the venous system. Then the region of interest (e.g., the cerebral cortex) is exposed and illuminated by LASER light of 561 nm. A thrombus is formed in the illuminated blood vessels, causing a stroke in the dependent brain tissue.
Rose bengal has been used for 50 years to diagnose liver and eye cancer. It has also been used as an insecticide.
Rose Bengal is being researched as an agent in creating nano sutures. Wounds are painted on both sides with it and then illuminated with an intense light. This links the tiny collagen fibers together sealing the wound. Healing is faster and the seal reduces chances of infection.
Rose Bengal is used in several microbiological media, including Cooke's Rose Bengal agar, to suppress bacterial growth.
Electronic applications
Rose Bengal demonstrates at least six distinct electronic properties which are otherwise hidden in the molecule. Rose Bengal is a double planar molecule and relative rotation of the planes generate unique electronics. Therefore, Rose Bengal is a suitable candidate for molecular electronicsMolecular electronics
Molecular electronics, sometimes called moletronics, involves the study and application of molecular building blocks for the fabrication of electronic components...
.