There are many ways to extract and prepare brazilin. Brazilein, the active dye agent, is an oxidized form of brazilin. The wood also yields a red dye called brazilin, which oxidizes to brazilein. In addition, organic pigments such as brazilin have faded because of exposure to sunlight. Brazilin is closely related to the blue-black dye precursor hematoxylin, having one fewer hydroxyl group.