Alizarin history

Anthraquinones The Oj Pile). Alizarin (1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone) is the orange-red compound of Rubia tinctorum (madder) (Rubiaceae), a longstanding dyestuff in human history. A range of anthraquinones are variously cathartic, antimicrobial and cytotoxic. A variety of anthraquinones are protein kinase inhibitors including alizarin, chrysazin, damnacanthal, emodin and purpurin. 

Madder and Alizarin Artists Pigments. A Handbook of their History and Characteristics 3 EitzHugh, Elisabeth West (ed.) National Gallery of Art, Washington and Oxford University Press, Oxford (1997) 109-142... 

Schweppe H, Winter J (1997) Madder and alizarin. In FitzHugh EW (ed) Artists Pigments a handbook of their history and characteristics, vol 3. Oxford University Press, New York, pp 109-142... 

In this article, 1 do not focus on the history of inventions and products of the Swiss chemical industry. It is sufficient to state that alizarin was the main product of the 1870s, until it was replaced by more specialized products, from 1885 on, mainly azo dyes. For pharmaceutical production, the most important products were antipyrine, saccharine, and alkaloids. I wish to thank Anthony Travis for improving my text. 

Alizarin was the first natural dye (derived from the root of madder plant, Rubia tinctorum) that was prepared synthetically. Synthetic alizarin is still widely used to dye wool as well as in staining microscopic specimens. On the history of synthetic dyes see Brock, W. H. 1992. The Norton History of Chemistry. New York W. W. Norton, pp. 293-310. 

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