GENTIAN VIOLET: WHAT WE KNOW AND WHAT IS AHEAD OF US

At present, the only active substance of Gentian Violet (GV) is methylrosaniline - a triphenylmethane dye of which amino group contains 2 methyl groups. GV can be used to treat uncomplicated bacterial and/or yeast infections, support antibiotic therapy of more severe infections, but also to protect medical equipment against colonization by microorganisms. In the light of recent studies, there are many new possibilities for GV application. It has been shown to be effective in the treatment of viral infections, some chronic skin diseases and oncology. GV can induce apoptosis of tumor cells among others by elevating caspase 8, inhibiting NADPH oxidases, decreasing mitochondrial thioredoxin 2 or inhibiting STAT3/SOX2 axis. Preclinical and in vitro studies have also demonstrated GV efficacy in the treatment of breast cancer, melanoma tumors and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. There is no unambiguous evidence indicating the toxicity of GV, whereas its safety has been proven by its long history of use, its inclusion in numerous guidelines and its legal trade and distribution with no specific approval requested in many countries around the world. The article gathers the available knowledge about GV and its potential use in the future.