[Injectable dyes: more than 70 years of therapeutic usage of dyes]

Synthetic dyes were first discovered at the end of the XVIIIth century (picric acid by Woulfe in 1771) and during the first part of the XIXth century: rosolic acid (Runge, 1834), mauvein (Perkin, 1856), but their development was major at the end of the XIXth century. Their therapeutic use was really starting at the beginning of the XXth century, mainly by local and oral route. It is only in the 1930's that parenteral route of administration was actually developed: methylene blue, methyl violet are some examples that were used for leprosy and filariasis, respectively. After the 2nd world war, one can observe a rapid decrease of the therapeutic use of dyes by intravenous route. Only a few dyes are still used today, such as patent blue V or fluorescein, as drugs for diagnostic use.