PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF MELANINS EXTRACTED FROM LEPTOGIUM FURFURACEUM (HARM.)

Melanins are universal biopolymers, the main biological function of which is to protect living organisms from adverse factors. Interest in these dark pigments arises due prospects for their use medicine, cosmeceuticals, bioremediation, bioelectronics, and other fields. In this work, a complex scheme was developed isolate melanins lichen Leptogium furfuraceum (Harm.), symbiotic extremophilic organism. Screening conditions extraction melanin, its subsequent precipitation purification made it possible three samples melanin with total yield 7.5% dry matter lichen. It established that all isolated have polyaromatic structure, they contain carbohydrates proteins, content which, depending on isolation, 7.3–9.9% 13.5–32.7%, respectively. Among melanins, water-soluble fraction acid-precipitated displays highest antioxidant activity. This unlike almost fully soluble distilled water, 95% ethanol, 99% dimethyl sulfoxide, phosphate buffer (pH 7.4). The differences solubility, activity, chelating capacity make determine potential areas practical use.