Rose bengal (4,5,6,7-tetrachloro-2',4',5',7'-tetraiodofluorescein) is astain. Rose bengal belongs to the class oforganic compounds calledxanthenes.[1] Its sodium salt is commonly used ineye drops to stain damagedconjunctival andcorneal cells and thereby identify damage to theeye. The stain is also used in the preparation ofForaminifera 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 asPV-10, is currently undergoing clinical trials formelanoma,[2]breast cancer.[3] andneuroendocrine tumors. The company also has formulated a drug based on rose bengal for the treatment ofeczema andpsoriasis; this drug, PV-10, is currently in clinical trials as well.[2]
Rose bengal was originally prepared in 1882 by Swiss chemistRobert Ghnem, as an analogue offluorescein.[4]Rudolf Nietzki at theUniversity of Basel identified the principal constituents of rose bengal asiodine derivatives of di- and tetra-chlorofluorescein.[5] The compound was originally used as a wooldye.[6] Its name derives fromrose (flower) andBengal (region); it is printed as rose bengal or Rose Bengal in the scientific literature.[7]
Optical microscopy image of the undescribed species ofSpinoloricus fromLoricifera stained with rose bengal.
Despite its complicatedphotochemistry involving several species,[8] rose bengal is also used in synthetic chemistry as a visible light photoredox catalyst[9] and to generatesinglet oxygen fromtriplet oxygen. The singlet oxygen can then undergo a variety of useful reactions, particularly [2 + 2]cycloadditions withalkenes and similar systems.
Rose bengal can be used to form many derivatives that have important medical functions. One such derivative was created so to be sonosensitive but photoinsensitive, so that with a high intensity focused ultrasound, it could be used in the treatment of cancer. The derivative was formed by amidation of rose bengal, which turned off the fluorescent and photosensitive properties of rose bengal, leading to a usable compound, named in the study as RB2.[10]
rose bengal disodium salt
Salts of rose bengal include C20H2Cl4I4Na2O5 (CAS 632-69-9). This sodium salt is a dye, which has its own unique properties and uses.[11]
Before Brucella Rose Bengal Test applicationAfter Brucella Rose Bengal Test application
PV-10 (an injectable form of rose bengal) was found to cause an observable response in 60% of tumors treated, according to researchers in a phase IImelanoma study. Locoregional disease control was observed in 75% 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 (in 2009) of the first 40 patients treated in an 80-patient study.[3][needs update] As of April 2016[update] a phase-3 study of PV-10 as a single agent therapy for patients with locally advanced cutaneous melanoma (Clinical Trials ID NCT02288897) is enrolling patients.[2]
Rose bengal has been shown to not just prevent the growth and spread of ovarian cancer, but also to cause apoptotic cell death of the cancer cells. This has been proven in vitro, in order to prove that rose bengal is still a possible option in the treatment of cancer, and further research should be done.[12]
Rose bengal is also used inanimal 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.[14][15]
Rose bengal has been used for 50 years to diagnose liver and eye cancer. Rose bengal dye is mixed with the homogenate of Brucella and pH of the solution is maintained at 3.8, and this dye is used to diagnose Brucellosis by agglutinating the suspected serum. Rose bengal is slightly irritating and toxic to the eye.[6] It has also been used as an insecticide.[16][17]
Rose bengal is able to stain cells whenever the surface epithelium is not being properly protected by the preocular tear film, because rose bengal has been proven to not be able to stain cells because of the protective functioning of these preocular tear films.[18] This is why rose bengal is often useful as a stain in diagnosing certain medical issues, such as conjunctival and lid disorders.[19]
Rose bengal is being researched as an agent in creating nano sutures.[21] 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.[22][23][24] Healing is faster and the seal reduces chances of infection.[25][26]
Rose bengal is used to suppress bacterial growth in several microbiological media, including Cooke's rose bengal agar.
Rose bengal has been used as a protoplasm stain to discriminate between living and dead micro-organisms, particularlyForaminifera, since the 1950s whenBill Walton developed the technique.[27]
^Salber D, et al. (2006). "Differential uptake of [18F]FET and [3H]l-methionine in focal cortical ischemia".Nuclear Medicine and Biology.33 (8):1029–1035.doi:10.1016/j.nucmedbio.2006.09.004.PMID17127177.
^Watson BD, Dietrich WD, Busto R, Wachtel MS, Ginsberg MD (1985). "Induction of reproducible brain infarction by photochemically initiated thrombosis".Ann Neurol.17 (5):497–504.doi:10.1002/ana.410170513.PMID4004172.S2CID37827695.
^Capinera JL, Squitier JM (2000). "Insecticidal Activity of Photoactive Dyes to American and Migratory Grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae)".Journal of Economic Entomology.93 (3):662–666.doi:10.1603/0022-0493-93.3.662.PMID10902313.S2CID25514306.
^Chan B, Chan O, So K (2008). "Effects of photochemical crosslinking on the microstructure of collagen and a feasibility study on controlled protein release".Acta Biomaterialia.4 (6):1627–1636.doi:10.1016/j.actbio.2008.06.007.PMID18640085.
^O’Neill A.C., Winograd J.M, Zeballos J.M., Johnson T.S., Randolph M.A., Bujold K.E., Kochevar I.E., Redmond R.W. (2007). "Microvascular anastomosis using a photochemical tissue bonding technique".Lasers in Surgery and Medicine.39 (9):716–722.doi:10.1002/lsm.20548.PMID17960755.S2CID46712914.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Mulroy L., Kim J., Wu I., Scharper P., Melki S.A., Azar D.A., Redmond R.W., Kochevar I.E. (2000). "Photochemical keratodesmos for repair of lamellar corneal incisions".Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci.41 (11):3335–3340.PMID11006222.
^Proano C.E., Mulroy L., Erika Jones E., Azar D.A., Redmond R.W., Kochevar I.E. (2004). "Characterization of paracellular penetration routes".Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci.38 (11):2177–2181.PMID9344340.
