Antioxidant activities from melanin pigment produced by marine actinobacterium of Streptomyces species

Melanin is macromolecules which have been developed while oxidative polymerization of phenolic compounds. It has been found that the majority of marine organisms produce melanin pigment. To obtain the melanin from marine actinobacteria and their biological properties are studied. Isolation and identification of marine actinobacteria were carried out using the media of ISP-1, ISP-7. Spore chain morphology, chemotaxonomic characteristics were also analyzed by the International Streptomyces Project. The antioxidant activities of DPPH, lipid peroxide using actinobacterial melanin were determined. The Streptomyces species have the capacity to produce melanin pigments and it shows potential antioxidant properties. When DPPH concentrations were compared with the ascorbic acid standard, the melanin of 150 mu g/ml showed 93.47% of scavenging. The present study was concluded that melanin pigment obtained from marine actinobacterium of Streptomyces species has potential antioxidant activities and these components might be useful to pharmaceutical industries.