Study of Cedarwood Oil and Coconut Oil as Viable Alternatives to Xylene for Clearing Agent Functions.

Abstract

Clearing in histopathological procedures is essential for rendering tissues translucent and clear enough for microscopic examination. For effective clearing, the agent used must be compatible with both the dehydrating agent and the embedding wax. Xylene is a widely used clearing agent in routine diagnostics, but its hazardous and carcinogenic properties have raised concerns. This study investigates the potential of cedarwood oil and coconut oil as alternatives to xylene. Conducted in the Department of Medical Laboratory Science at the University of Benin, the study involved three albino rats sourced from the Department of Anatomy. The liver, kidney, and lung tissues were harvested, fixed, and then dehydrated using graded alcohol. The tissues were then processed using cedarwood oil, coconut oil, and xylene across different groups. Following the clearing process, the tissues were impregnated and embedded in paraffin wax, and serial sections were cut and stained with the hematoxylin and eosin method. The stained sections were evaluated based on nuclear staining, cytoplasmic staining, and background staining. The results indicated that cedarwood oil produced good nuclear and background staining, suggesting it is a viable substitute for xylene. The study concludes that cedarwood oil shows promise as an alternative clearing agent, providing high-quality staining and preserving cellular architecture. Further research is recommended to explore additional substitutes and minimize the use of hazardous xylene.