A NOVEL NON-TOXIC XYLENE SUBSTITUTE (SBO) FOR HISTOLOGY

Authors

  • Wang Kunhua
  • Fan Chuming
  • Lao Tao
  • Yang Yanmei
  • Yang Xin
  • Zhang Xiaoming
  • Guo Xuezhong
  • Lai Xun

Keywords:

SBO, clearing agent, xylene, histology, toxicity

Abstract

Xylene has been generally used as a clearing and deparaffinizing agent in histology. Because of the potential toxic and flammable nature of xylene, its substitutes have been introduced into some laboratories. In this study, we introduced a novel, non-toxic xylene substitute (SBO), which was generated through a mixture of 86% of white oil No.2 and 14% of N-heptane. SBO had a high boiling point (188°C) and flash point (144°C) coupled with a scentless and decreased volatility. To compare the effectiveness of SBO and xylene in histology, a wide range of tissue samples from rats and human beings were processed in parallel in SBO and xylene, subjected to various staining procedures. Similar to the xylene-processed paraffin blocks, the SBO-processed counterparts were easy to section without any evidence of cell shrinkage. Assessment of the SBO-treated sections stained with hematoxylin-eosin revealed a good maintenance of cell morphology and structure, and a clear definition of the cytoplasm and the nucleus. Moreover, comparable good results were achieved between the SBO- and xylene-processed tissues in other histochemical and immunohistochemical stainings. Six-month clinical applications at one department of pathology supported the potentials of SBO as a xylene substitute. In conclusion, we suggest that SBO is a safe and efficient substitute of xylene and may probably replace xylene without losing valuable diagnostic information.

Author Biography

Lai Xun

The First People’s Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming 650032, PR China

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Published

2011-08-04

How to Cite

Kunhua, W., Chuming, F., Tao, L., Yanmei, Y., Xin, Y., Xiaoming, Z., Xuezhong, G., & Xun, L. (2011). A NOVEL NON-TOXIC XYLENE SUBSTITUTE (SBO) FOR HISTOLOGY. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, 9(1), 43–49. Retrieved from https://journals.athmsi.org/index.php/ajtcam/article/view/1355

Issue

Section

Research Papers