Basic fuchsine
A magenta dye used in biology and textile staining since the 19th century
No single value: Basic fuchsine is a material, and its colour varies. The background shows its family, pink and magenta.
Basic fuchsine is a synthetic magenta dye, forming dark green crystals that turn magenta in water. First made in the 1850s from aniline, it has been used to dye textiles, stain bacteria in labs, and as a component in chemical tests. Its production is linked to health risks for workers.
- Turns magenta when dissolved in water
- Used to stain bacteria in medical labs
- First made from aniline in 1856
- Production is linked to bladder cancer risk
- Appears as dark green crystals in solid form
What colour is Basic fuchsine?
Basic fuchsine is a synthetic dye that appears as dark green crystals with a metallic sheen. When dissolved in water, it produces a strong magenta colour. The solid form is soft, with a hardness similar to talc, and leaves a greenish streak that becomes magenta when moistened. It is best known for its vivid pink hue in solution and its use in laboratory staining.
Where does Basic fuchsine come from?
The dye was first created in 1856 by Jakub Natanson from aniline and 1,2-dichloroethane, and independently by others soon after. The name 'fuchsine' may refer to the colour of fuchsia flowers or be a play on the French word for fox, 'Renard', and the German 'Fuchs'. It became widely used in the late 1800s and early 1900s for textiles and food, despite health concerns.
How is Basic fuchsine made?
Basic fuchsine is made by combining aniline with chemicals such as 1,2-dichloroethane or carbon tetrachloride. The resulting mixture contains several related compounds, including rosaniline and pararosaniline. The exact composition can vary by manufacturer and batch, which affects its suitability for different uses.
Where Basic fuchsine is used
This dye is widely used in biology to stain cell nuclei and to detect certain bacteria, especially those causing tuberculosis and leprosy. It is also a key part of the Schiff test and Gram stain procedures. In the past, it was used to dye textiles pink and even to colour red wine, though this raised health concerns.
Pink around the world
What the pink and magenta family means from country to country.
The president's office in Buenos Aires is the Casa Rosada, the Pink House. A popular story says its paint once had ox blood mixed in, though this is not proven.
Politics and protestSource: Casa RosadaThe third day of the New Year's Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground is Jane McGrath Day. The crowd wears pink to raise money for breast cancer nurses.
Protection and healingHopeSource: McGrath FoundationThe Rose Valley near Kazanlak grows pink damask roses for rose oil. The harvest in late May and June is marked by a festival and the crowning of a Rose Queen.
Nature and renewalFestival and celebrationJoySource: Rose Valley, BulgariaToulouse is called la Ville Rose, the pink city, for the soft pink brick of its old buildings.
Nature and renewalSource: ToulouseIn November 2003 protesters entered parliament carrying roses, and the president resigned without bloodshed. The change of power is called the Rose Revolution.
Politics and protestHopeSource: Rose RevolutionAt Holi, the spring festival of colours, friends and strangers smear each other with gulal, a coloured powder. Pink and red gulal are the best known shades.
Festival and celebrationJoySource: HoliShades and relatives of Basic fuchsine
Basic fuchsine is closely related to acid fuchsine, which is made by adding sulfonic groups and results in several isomers. Other related dyes include new fuchsine and magenta II. The exact shade and properties can vary depending on the mixture and manufacturer.
Questions people ask about Basic fuchsine
What colour is basic fuchsine?
Basic fuchsine forms dark green crystals, but when dissolved in water, it produces a strong magenta (pink-purple) colour.
Where does the name 'fuchsine' come from?
The name may refer to the colour of fuchsia flowers or be a play on the French word for fox ('Renard') and the German 'Fuchs'. An 1861 source said both reasons were intended.
What is basic fuchsine used for?
It is used to stain bacteria and cell nuclei in biology and medicine, and was once widely used to dye textiles and foodstuffs.
How is basic fuchsine made?
It is made synthetically from aniline and chemicals like 1,2-dichloroethane or carbon tetrachloride, producing a mixture of related compounds.
Is basic fuchsine safe?
Production of basic fuchsine is linked to bladder cancer in workers, and its use in food and textiles has raised health concerns.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Fuchsine", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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