This dye belongs to a class not usually used for staining tissue sections, ketoamines, consequently it may be difficult to obtain.

It was recommended by Lendrum and coworkers as the displacement dye in the yellowsolve I method for fibrin. It is used to displace phloxine B in a manner similar to the tartrazine in Lendrum's phloxine-tartrazine, from which the method is derived.