3-Nitrotetrazolium blue chloride ;

3,3'-(3,3'-Dimethoxy-4,4'-biphenylene)bis[5-(3-nitrophenyl)-2-phenyl-2H-tetrazolium chloride]

3-Nitrotetrazolium blue chloride is a potent inhibitor of bacterial growth in the presence of azide. It inhibits the production of xanthine oxidase by S. typhimurium and has been shown to have potent inhibitory activity against arvensis and rhamnocitrin, both of which are important for bacterial cell wall synthesis. 3-Nitrotetrazolium blue chloride also has antioxidant effects, which may be due to its ability to scavenge reactive oxygen species (e.g., superoxide) or its ability to reduce nitric oxide radicals. The flavonoids found in this compound are responsible for these effects. 3-Nitrotetrazolium blue chloride can also act as an antimutagen when it is incubated with DNA damage induced by ultraviolet light or a mutagenic chemical such as 2-nitrofluorene.