Reetha ( Sapindus mukorossi ) extract as a biosafe surrogate for xylene in hematoxylin and eosin staining procedure

Since the introduction, hematoxylin and eosin (H and E) have been a gold standard stain for routine histopathological diagnosis of biopsied specimens. Xylene, despite its hazardous toxic effects, is the most commonly used deparaffinizing agent and forms an imperative part of this staining procedure. In the pursuit to eliminate the use of xylene, various substitutes became available, some with as many if not more hazards.

This study aimed to evaluate Reetha ( Sapindus mukorossi ) extract as a biosafe surrogate for xylene to deparaffinize the sections during the H and E staining procedure and compare it with xylene deparaffinized H and E stained sections.

Two sections each from thirty paraffin blocks of different oral lesions including odontogenic cysts and tumors, salivary gland tumors, reactive lesions, epithelial, and connective tissue tumors, and premalignant lesions were prepared. One section was stained with the conventional H and E method using xylene as a deparaffinizing agent and the other section with xylene-free H and E method with Reetha extract.

The test of significance was calculated ( P value significant at ≤0.05) using the Wilcoxon matched pairs signed rank test.

The result was productive as Reetha extract was found to be an effectual replacement for xylene as a deparaffinizing agent, which has the added advantage that it is non-biohazardous, cheaper, and a rapid deparaffinizing agent.