METHYLENE BLUE Meaning and
Definition
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Methylene blue is a synthetic dye and medication commonly used in various scientific and medical applications. It is a heterocyclic aromatic compound, which means it contains a ring structure consisting of carbon and nitrogen atoms.
In chemistry, methylene blue is a deep blue dye with a strong color and is highly soluble in water. It is frequently used as a stain or indicator in laboratories to detect and identify various substances. Methylene blue has the ability to readily accept and donate electrons, making it useful in redox reactions and electron transfer processes.
In medicine, methylene blue has a wide range of applications. It is used as a medication to treat methemoglobinemia, a condition characterized by the abnormal presence of methemoglobin in the blood. Methylene blue acts as an electron donor and converts methemoglobin back into functional hemoglobin, thereby restoring the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.
Methylene blue also has antiseptic properties and is used for wound care, particularly in the treatment of fungal or bacterial infections. Moreover, it has been investigated for its potential use in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, as it has been found to inhibit the aggregation of certain proteins associated with these conditions.
Additionally, methylene blue has been used as a dye in histology and microscopy to stain cells and tissues for visualization under a microscope. It can help highlight specific structures or elements within biological samples, aiding researchers and pathologists in their examinations and analyses.
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Methylthioninae chloridum.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for METHYLENE BLUE
- nethylene blue
- kethylene blue
- jethylene blue
- mwthylene blue
- msthylene blue
- mdthylene blue
- mrthylene blue
- m4thylene blue
- m3thylene blue
- merhylene blue
- mefhylene blue
- meghylene blue
- meyhylene blue
- me6hylene blue
- me5hylene blue
- metgylene blue
- metbylene blue
- metnylene blue
- metjylene blue
Etymology of METHYLENE BLUE
The word "methylene" comes from the Greek word "methy" meaning "wine", as it was first synthesized from aniline (a chemical compound found in coal tar) by treating it with alcohol. The term "blue" simply refers to the color of the compound. Hence, "methylene blue" describes a blue-colored compound derived from aniline.
Similar spelling words for METHYLENE BLUE
