A Stain for Staining Cells, the Use of the Stain in Histological Applications and a Method of Diagnosis

Abstract

A staining composition for staining cells and for use in a method of staining cells, a method of diagnosing mitotic activity and a method of diagnosing cancer. The composition comprises dried petunia petals at least partially dissolved in distilled water; and 400 milligrams of picric acid per gram of dried petunia petals. The method of staining cells includes rinsing a sample containing the cells with 10% of phosphotungistic acid or 10% of phosphomolybdic acid; staining the sample with the composition and dehydrating the samples with 100% Ethanol or Isopropanol. The method of diagnosing mitotic activity includes observing stained regions in the sample to identify mitotic activity indicated by stained regions. The method for diagnosing cancer includes quantifying mitotic figures in the sample which are identified by stained regions of the sample.

1 . A staining composition for staining one or more cells, the staining composition comprising:
 an extract obtained from  petunia  petals; and a solution of picric acid.   
     
     
         2 . The staining composition as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the extract obtained from  petunia  petals comprise  petunia  petals at least partially dissolved in a solvent or in a suitable aqueous medium. 
     
     
         3 . The staining composition as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the  petunia  petals are dried  petunia  petals. 
     
     
         4 . The staining composition as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the dried  petunia  petals are obtained by providing a predetermined mass of fresh wet  petunia  petals and drying the  petunia  petals until a mass thereof is 90% of said predetermined mass. 
     
     
         5 . The staining composition as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the staining composition comprises at least 60 mg of picric acid per gram of the dried  petunia  petals. 
     
     
         6 . The staining composition as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the staining composition comprises between 200 mg to 400 mg of picric acid per gram of the dried  petunia  petals. 
     
     
         7 . A method of staining one or more cells including rinsing a sample containing said one or more cells to be stained with diluted phosphotungistic acid or diluted phosphomolybdic acid; and staining the rinsed sample with the staining composition as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the diluted phosphotungistic acid or the diluted phosphomolybdic acid comprises 10% of phosphotungistic acid or 10% of phosphomolybdic acid, respectively. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the diluted phosphotungistic acid or the diluted phosphomolybdic acid comprises 5% of phosphotungistic acid or 5% of phosphomolybdic acid, respectively. 
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the method includes after staining the rinsed sample with the staining composition, dehydrating the stained samples with 100% Ethanol or Isopropanol. 
     
     
         11 . A method of diagnosing mitotic activity in one or more cells, the method including staining said one or more cells in accordance with the method of staining one or more cells as claimed in  claim 7 ; the method further including observing one or more stained regions of said one or more cells to identify mitotic activity indicated by said one or more stained regions. 
     
     
         12 . A method for diagnosing cancer in one or more cells, the method including staining said one or more cells in accordance with the method of staining one or more cells as claimed in  claim 7 ; the method further including quantifying said one or more cells and quantifying mitotic figures which are identified by stained regions of said one or more cells. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the method includes determining a ratio of total number of cells in the sample to number of cells having mitotic figures. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the method further includes comparing the determined ratio to an expected ratio which can be expected from a sample comprising healthy cells of the same type as said one or more cells.