Patents on Violacein: A Compound with Great Diversity of Biological Activities and Industrial Potential

Background: This review outlines the current impact of violacein-derivative materials in several technological areas through patents. Methods: A comprehensive examination of patent databases on violacein demonstrated the relevance of this pigment, as well as the pertinent topics related to its technological development in order to obtain adaptable new pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and new quality fiber materials, together with other applications of violacein in different areas. Results: At present, there is no efficient and economical technique for violacein preparation at the industrial scale. Many attempts have been made, but none have overcome the challenge of being an effective and inexpensive process. However, some potential applications of violacein in fields such as biomedicine make the pigment worthy of continuous investigation. In particular, violacein patents covering biosynthesis for different applications have been reported recently. Conclusion: Violacein has been used as a unique pigment in distinct specialty areas, such as in medical and industrial fields. This review of patents provides an update on violacein innovations that are useful for researchers working in the expanding and interesting field of biotechnology with natural pigments.