Ommochromes from Hermetia illucens: Isolation and Study of Antioxidant Characteristics and Antimicrobial Activity

A technique for the isolation and purification of ommochromes (pigments of the complex eye of the adult Hermetia illucens fly) has been developed. Isolated ommochromes showed fluorescence with emission maxima at 460–470 nm and 525–535 nm, the intensity of which increased abruptly during their oxidation with hydrogen peroxide. The method of chemiluminescence quenching of luminol was used to determine the antiradical activity of ommochromes; the constant value was (1.2 ± 0.5) × 104 M–1. A finely dispersed mixture of ommochromes in 0.1 M potassium phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) containing bovine serum albumin (2.0 mg/mL) showed antimicrobial activity against B. subtilis ATCC 6633, Candida albicans ATCC 2091, and Aspergillus niger INA 00760. The H. illucens imago was concluded to be a promising renewable source of natural pigments with good antioxidant characteristics and antibacterial properties.