Indigo carmine in a 0.2% aqueous solution is blue at pH 11.4 and yellow at 13.0. Indigo carmine is also a redox indicator, turning yellow upon reduction. Another use is as a dissolved ozone indicator[5] through the conversion to isatin-5-sulfonic acid.[5] This reaction has been shown not to be specific to ozone: it also detects superoxide, an important distinction in cell physiology.[6] It is also used as a dye in the manufacturing of capsules.
In obstetric surgery, it may be used to detect amniotic fluid leaks. In urologic surgery, intravenous indigo carmine can be used to highlight portions of the urinary tract. The dye is filtered rapidly by the kidneys from the blood, and colors the urine blue. However, the dye can cause a potentially dangerous acute increase in blood pressure in some cases.[8]
Indigo carmine stain is not absorbed into cells, so it is applied to tissues to enhance the visibility of mucosa. This leads to its use for examination and diagnosis of benign and malignant lesions and growths on mucosal surfaces of the body.[9]
Food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and scientific uses
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Indigo carmin shows "genotoxicity, developmental toxicity or modifications of haematological parameters in chronic toxicity studies". Only at 17 mg/kg of body weight per day were effects on testes observed.[11]
^Craik JD, Khan D, Afifi R (January–February 2009). "The Safety of Intravenous Indigo Carmine to Assess Ureteric Patency During Transvaginal Uterosacral Suspension of the Vaginal Vault". Journal of Pelvic Medicine & Surgery. 15 (1): 11–15. doi:10.1097/SPV.0b013e3181986ace.
^Newsome AG, Culver CA, van Breemen RB (July 2014). "Nature's palette: the search for natural blue colorants". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 62 (28): 6498–6511. doi:10.1021/jf501419q. PMID24930897.