Crystal violet, Gentian Violet is a blue dye, extracted from plants of the genus Gentiana, used in topical solution with antifungal and antimitotic properties. Gentian violet (GV) dissociates into positive (GV+) and negative ions (Cl-) that penetrate both gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial cells. The GV+ ions interact with negatively charged components of the bacterial cell wall including lipopolysaccharide, peptidoglycan and DNA. This agent is also a mutagen and mitotic poison.