Abstract: Three strains among 20 Streptomyces isolates produce a diffusible
dark brown pigment on both peptone-yeast extract agar and Streptomyces
isolation agar. They also showed the positive reaction towards L-tyrosine
substrates. The pigment has been referred to be dark brown water soluble
pigment, as melanin. The present study reports antioxidant activity of melanin
pigment from Actinomycete (Streptomyces species) strain isolated from garden
soil, Nagpur district, India. Melanin production by the strain was further
confirmed using tyrosine agar. Melanin production was carried out by adopting
solid state fermentation using wheat bran and rice bran medium and extracted
using ethyl acetate. About 220 mg/10 gram and 198 mg of crude pigment were
extracted from 10 gram of wheat bran and rice bran medium, respectively. The
melanin pigment from crude extract was partially purified by TLC and the
purified melanin fraction showed promising free radical scavenging activity in
DPPH method. Further fermentation and purification of melanin pigment from
strain D5 will leads to a development of pharmaceutically valuable antioxidant.