Safranin is a cationic dye, which displays less significant metachromasia. It is used to detect any variations in articular disease. Safranin binds specifically to polyanions.It detects the amount of proteoglycan present in cartilages.[
Safranin (also Safranin O or basic red 2) is a biological stain used in histology and cytology. Safranin is used as a counterstain in some staining protocols, colouring cell nuclei red. This is the classic counterstain in both Gram stains and endospore staining. It can also be used for the detection of cartilage,[2] mucin and mast cell granules.