Histological dye based on anthocyanins of chokeberries (Aronia melanocarpa)

Histological dye was obtained following extraction of anthocyanin pigments from ethanol extracts of chokeberries and its staining properties were studied. It was shown that the dye from chokeberries selectively stains the nuclei of the cells and basophilic structures of the cytoplasm. The novel dye provides strong staining of histological specimens and can be re-used during several weeks. Moreover, it can be applied not only for the general examination of the structure of different organs and for the morphometric analysis, but it may also replace the dyes which are routine for the staining of the nervous tissue, such as the thionin and cresyl violet. The recipes of dyes from chokeberries and staining procedures are simple and cheap and can be widely used in histological studies and, in particular, for the study of the brain and spinal cord.