acridine

anthracene

 [an´thrah-sēn]

a crystalline hydrocarbon, C₁₄h₁₀, from coal tar, used in making dyes.

ac·ri·dine

(ak'ri-dēn),

A dye, dye intermediate, and antiseptic precursor (for example, 9-aminoacridine, acriflavine, proflavine hemisulfate) derived from coal tar and irritating to skin and mucous membranes; a potent mutagen.

Synonym(s): dibenzopyridine

acridine

/ac·ri·dine/ (ak´rĭ-dēn) an alkaloid from anthracene used in the synthesis of dyes and drugs.

acridine

[ak′ridēn]

a dibenzopyridine compound used in the synthesis of dyes and drugs. Its derivatives include fluorescent yellow dyes and the antiseptic agents acriflavine hydrochloride, acriflavine base, and proflavine.

acridine

A dye molecule capable of causing a FRAME-SHIFT MUTATION in DNA by interposing between adjacent base pairs. Acridine orange stains nucleic acid so that under ultraviolet light DNA appears green and RNA appears orange.

acridine

a dibenzopyridine compound used in the synthesis of dyes and drugs. Derivatives of acridine are successful as antibacterial agents, finding their principal use as local antiseptics. They were popular at one time as antibabesial and trypanocidal agents. See also acriflavine, proflavine.

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acridine orange stain

binds nonspecifically to nucleic acids, proteins, polysaccharides and glycosaminoglycans. Together with fluorescent microscopy, it is reportedly more sensitive than conventional staining methods for demonstrating Mycoplasma haemofelis in blood smears.