Given the importance of protein phosphorylation in the context of cellular functions, abnormal protein phosphatase activity has been implicated in several diseases, including cancer. These critical roles of protein phosphatases qualify them as potential targets for the development of medicinal compounds that possess distinct modes of action such as violacein. In this work, studies with this natural indolic pigment at a concentration of 10.0 micromol L(-1) demonstrated a 20% activation of total protein phosphatase extracted from human lymphocytes. Although no alteration was observed on protein tyrosine phosphatase (CD45), 30% of inhibition was achieved in cytoplasmatic protein phosphatase activity after incubation with 10.0 micromol L(-1) violacein. Additionally, 5.0 micromol L(-1) of violacein inhibited by 50% the serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase activity. Violacein presented toxic effect on lymphocytes with IC50 values of 3 and 10 micromol L(-1) for protein content and protein phosphatase activity, respectively. These findings suggest an important role for protein phosphatases in the mechanisms controlling proliferation and cell death.