Chapter 10 - Natural dyes and pigments as a source of medicine

Abstract

The global interest in natural dyes and pigments is now high relating to public awareness of the medicinal uses of natural dyes and pigments. They are a nontoxic substitute for the poisonous synthetic dyes and pigments that are wreaking havoc on the environment. Moreover, numerous synthetic dyes and pigments have been forbidden due to their potential to trigger allergic reactions or to be malignancies. The harmful compounds generated by synthetic dyes and pigments can really be significantly reduced by employing natural dyes and pigments. Natural dyes and pigments are obtained from natural resources, i.e., plants, animals, insects, minerals, and microorganisms. A few types of medicinal plants and trees (including seeds, roots, barks, stems, leaves, peels, flowers, and fruits) are often used as natural dyes and pigments, i.e., yarrow, chamomile, oak, rosemary, wormwood, marigolds, goldenrod, tagetes, saffron, safflower, henna, indigo, watermelon, pomegranate, carrot, turmeric, etc. Likewise, animals and insects, i.e., dried insect shells of sea snails, cochineal, lac kermes mollusks, octopus, etc., are also used as natural dyes and pigments. Some minerals like rock, earth crust, ocher, limonite azure blue, etc., and microorganisms such as fungi, algae, bacteria, lichens, etc., are popular as natural dyes and pigments. However, plant and tree-based dyes and pigments have a huge variety of medicinal benefits among the entire natural dyes and pigments. They have recently been famous for their structural and protective functions, despite the fact that they are being used for dyeing and medicinal purposes for a long time. Because of the inclusion of quinone, phenol, and tannin, several plant dyes and pigments are discovered to have amazing antibacterial characteristics. Therefore, the principles of the basic chemistry of natural dyes and pigments as a source of medicine, as well as their medicinal benefits discovered in natural dye-producing plants, animals, insects, minerals, and microorganisms are strongly discussed in this chapter, which will aid in the development of future medicinal formulations.