Urinalysis - The Carter Center

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The following stains are commonly used:
1. A crystal violet safranin stain (sternheimer and malbin) is useful in the
identification of cellular elements. It is commercially available as sedistain.
Preparation of Reagents
Solution (1)
Solution (2)
Crystal violet ---------------------------- 3g
Ethanol (95%)--------------------------- 20 ml
Ammonium Oxalate-------------------- 0.8 g
Distilled water ------------------------- 80 ml
Safranin ----------------------------------1 g
Ethanol (95%)---------------------------40 ml
Distilled water--------------------------- 400 ml
The mixture should be filtered every 2 weeks!
- Discard after 3 months
- Separately, solution (1) and solution (2) keep indefinitely
at room temperature.
In highly alkaline urine, the stains will precipitate.
Procedure
Add 1 or 2 drops of crystal violet safranin stain to approximately 1 ml of
concentrated urine sediment. Mix and place a drop of this suspension
on a slide and cover with cover slide.
Staining reaction to crystal – violet safranin stain:
RBC – Purple to dark purple.
WBC – Cytoplasm -violet to blue.
Nucleus – reddish purple.
Glitter cells – blue.