Hematoxylin is a naturally occurring stain extracted from the logwood tree. For use in staining, the hematoxylin is oxidized to hematein which combines with the mordant and is the active staining ingredient. The usual mordants are aluminum salts, which give a bluer stain, and iron salts, which give a blacker stain. 5% alcoholic hematoxylin is a solution of hematoxylin in water that is mixed with the iron mordant just before use in Verhoeff’s elastin stain. The reagents used in Verhoeff’s stain are:

Alcoholic hematoxylin, 5%. Catalog # 6210A
Ferric chloride, 10%. Catalog # 5660A
Ferric chloride, 2%. Catalog # 5652A
Lugol’s iodine. Catalog # 652A
Sodium thiosulfate, 5%. Catalog # 8775A
Van Gieson stain. Catalog # 8880A

These items are manufactured in the United States by Medical Chemical Corp