Resazurin

7-hydroxy -3H- phenoxazin -3-one - 10-oxide

• 550-82-3
• 62758-13-8 (sodium salt)

Dark red, narrow crystals with a greenish gloss

Fixed

> 250 ° C

Decomposition

6.71

• Almost insoluble in water and ether
• Slightly soluble in alcohol

Sodium salt

Attention

Template: Infobox chemical / molecular formula search available

Resazurin ( synonym: Alamarblau ) is a dye which is used in the redox chemistry, and a pH indicator. In this case, both resazurin redox reactions, as well as pH changes show. It is used as a reagent to hyposulfites and for measuring the cytotoxicity of substances. The production is possible from resorcinol.

Properties

Resazurin is a non-toxic, water-soluble blue redox dye that is converted irreversibly to pink, fluorescent resorufin at reduction. In a second reversible reaction resorufin is reduced to colorless dihydroresorufin.

In acidic aqueous solution, the indicator has an orange color, which changes from pH 6.5 to dark purple.

Resazurin is used mainly as the sodium salt in the trade. The photosensitive substance can be stored as a solution at temperatures between 2 and 8 ° C up to one year, the salt is dry long shelf life at room temperature.

Color of the aqueous solution

An aqueous resazurin solution appears blue in thin layers or dilute concentration; and thicker layers, higher concentrations showing a red color. This material property is called dichromatism or Polychromatism.

Use

Resazurin is used in the current medicinal chemistry research, as a measure of cell viability for measuring the cytotoxicity of compounds. The cytotox assay or Alamar Blue assay utilizes an aqueous resazurin, which is reduced from normally functioning cells gradually to resorufin. Cytotoxic substances reduce the metabolic activity and the redox potential of the cell, which leads, depending on efficacy of the toxic to slow or stop the reduction of resazurin.

The Red -bottle test using resazurin as redox indicator. This reduced glucose in a basic solution, the resorufin formed by the resazurin reversibly to a colorless form, which is oxidized to form pink again by shaking of the atmospheric oxygen. For several hours can be made in color as the solution to be decolorized by agitation.

Toxicology

Resazurin is classified as non-toxic, but can cause as many chemicals to health problems if swallowed. In addition, the indicator is irritating to eyes and skin on contact.