title: An improved clearing and mounting solution to replace chloral hydrate in microscopic applications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study presents Visikol™, a new proprietary formulation that can be used as an efficient replacement for chloral hydrate as a clearing agent for microscopic examination. In the United States, chloral hydrate is regulated and therefore difficult to acquire. •
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fresh and dry samples of the following plants: ginger (Zingiber officinale), maté (Ilex paraguariensis), lime basil (Ocimum americanum), oregano (Origanum vulgare), and mouse-ear cress (Arabidopsis thaliana), were cleared using Visikol or chloral hydrate solution and compared using a light microscope. •
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This new method can be used successfully to clear specimens, allowing identification of diagnostic characteristics for the identification of plant materials. Visikol is as effective as chloral hydrate in providing clarity and resolution of all tissues examined. Tissues become transparent, allowing observation of deeper layers of cells and making it effective in research, botanical and quality control, and for educational applications.
authors.affiliation: New Use Agriculture and Natural Plant Products Program, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES), Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 59 Dudley Road, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901 USA ; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 160 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854 USA.
authors.forename: Thomas S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Villani
authors.affiliation: Science Department, City University of New York, Borough of Manhattan Community College, 199 Chambers Street, New York, New York 10007 USA.
authors.forename: Adolfina R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Koroch
authors.affiliation: New Use Agriculture and Natural Plant Products Program, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES), Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 59 Dudley Road, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901 USA.
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Simon
keywords: Visikol; acidified chloral hydrate; botanical quality control; clearing; histology; microscopy