Biological activity and applications of pyocyanin produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

There is growing interest in microbial pigments due to their natural character, safe to use, medicinal properties and rich in nutrients like vitamins. Production of these pigments is independent of season and geographical condition. Moreover, microbial pigments can be produced from waste material reducing water and environmental pollutions. Pseudomonas aeruginosa produce a wide variety of pigments as secondary metabolites, which play an important role in interactions between Pseudomonas species and other organisms. Four major different pigments have been described in P. aeruginosa produce variety of redox-active phenazine compounds, including pyocyanin, fluorescein, pyorubrin and pyomelanin. Pyocyanin is a chloroform soluble blue green phenazine pigment produced by active cultures of P. aeruginosa. Pyocyanin has antibiotic activity against bacteria, fungi and protozoa. About 90 to 95% of P. aeruginosa strains produce pyocyanin which was the main phenazine pigment associated with organism and had powerful antimicrobial, antioxidant and anticancer activities.