Materials required:
o Bamboo skewers or toothpicks cut 4cm (1½ inches) long.
o White Saponin (a plant glycoside that hemolyses red blood cells).
o EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, enhances lysis of the RCB's). Note:
you can use either sodium or potassium EDTA.
o Deionized water.
Method:
(To make 100 sticks; formula may be increased to make more than this).
1. Cut the sticks into 4cm (1 1/2 inch) pieces, and bundle them together with
string or rubber bands.
2. Weigh 1g of Saponin and 200mg EDTA.
3. Add 1ml of deionized water or distilled water (if unavailable, use boiled
filtered water).
4. Stir gently until the powder is dissolved; try not to agitate too greatly
as this introduces air bubbles. The solution should be slightly pasty. Cover
the solution so that it is air tight: the solution will dry out if not covered.
5. Allow the covered solution to rest for several hours, or overnight.
6. Place the bundled sticks in the Saponin, so that a half centimetre (¼
inch) is immersed in the formula.
7. Soak the sticks in the Saponin for three hours, and then incubate overnight
between 30 and 45°c. If no incubator is available, let the sticks dry naturally,
protected from dust
Note: The sticks should lyse the blood within 60 seconds. If this does not occur
then increase the concentration of the Saponin solution and allow the sticks
to soak in it for a longer period.
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