About processing and utilization technology of hematoxylin
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Harvesting and processing of Hematoxylin can be done throughout the year, but autumn and winter are preferred. The older the tree, the thicker the trunk, the darker the wood, and the better the quality. When harvesting, it's important to protect the natural resources—avoid uprooting the tree entirely. Instead, cut the trunk or large branches and saw them into 60 cm sections. Remove the outer bark and sapwood (the white part), then take the middle heartwood, which is typically purple, red, or yellow in color. Dry the heartwood in a well-ventilated area.
In terms of industrial use, Hematoxylin is a high-quality natural dye. The heartwood can produce red dyes, while the roots yield yellow dyes. These are widely used for dyeing cotton, hemp, wool, fibers, and paper materials. It also serves as a background color for woodware and is considered an excellent natural pigment that doesn’t fade easily. On the international market, it’s valued as a premium natural coloring agent and is used in high-end cosmetics. Its natural properties make it highly popular in the beauty industry. Additionally, it's more effective than imported Brazilian hematoxylin in biological staining and is the best organic reagent for detecting aluminum ions.
In the food industry, Hematoxylin has been recognized as an ideal natural colorant by many developed countries. As the trend shifts from synthetic to natural pigments, Hematoxylin is becoming increasingly valuable. The wood itself is of high quality, with a hard texture, fine grain, and compact structure. It is glossy, resistant to warping, and less prone to cracking. This makes it a preferred material for furniture making, high-end musical instruments, refined handicrafts, and construction projects. Therefore, the market demand for Hematoxylin is broad and growing.
Medically, the sapwood contains phenolic compounds, triterpenes, essential oils, and tannins. Key components include hematoxylin, along with other related compounds. Triterpenes like β-erithritol are present, while the essential oil mainly consists of phellandrene and ocimene. In the ether extract of the heartwood, significant amounts of palmitic acid (27.62%), stearic acid (44.15%), linoleic acid (25.94%), and oleic acid (2.25%) have been identified. Free amino acids such as alanine, aspartic acid, glycine, valine, hydrazine acid, leucine, hydroxybutyric acid, and proline are also found. In addition, various sugars like D-glucose, lactose, galactose, 4-methylgalactose, and 3,4-dimethylgalactose are present.
Su Mu is a key herb used for promoting blood circulation, reducing swelling, and relieving pain. It is not only commonly used in clinical prescriptions but also serves as an essential raw material in the production of proprietary Chinese medicines. According to statistics from the "Encyclopedia of Pharmaceutical Products in China" in 1988, there were 35 types of traditional Chinese medicines containing Hematoxylin, including Huoxue Fenghan Paste, Gynecology Tongjing Pills, Shujin Huoxue Powder, Huazheng Tablets, Jiangdu Yaojiu, Shujin Potion, beaten Wanhua Oil, compound mountain turtle turtle, antiphlogistic and analgesic liniment, and six-leaf hematoxylin soup. Its medicinal value continues to be recognized and utilized in modern herbal practices.