title: Carica papaya seed macerate as inhibitor of conjugative R plasmid transfer from Salmonella typhimurium to Escherichia coli in vitro and in the digestive tract of gnotobiotic mice.
abstract: In this study, the effect of Carica papaya seed macerate on conjugal R plasmid transfer from Salmonella typhimurium to Escherichia coli was investigated in vitro and in the digestive tract of gnotobiotic mice. Twenty-five micrograms per milliliter and 430 mg (administered intragastrically twice a day) of papaya seed macerate concentrations were used during conjugation for in vitro and in vivo assays, respectively. High frequency of conjugation inhibition by macerate was observed for both in vitro and in vivo experiments, independently of bacterial growth and mating conditions. Papaya seed macerate caused a reduction of the transconjugant population ranging from 71% to about 100%. There was no lethal effect of the seed macerate on donor or recipient cells in the concentrations used. Once the mechanisms and magnitude of resistance gene transfer are clearly understood, strategies to reduce or minimize the dissemination of these genes could be relevant. The data here obtained show a clinical potential use of papaya seed macerate on this transfer.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana A M
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.forename: Regina M D
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Nardi
authors.forename: Jacques R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Nicoli
authors.forename: Edmar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chartone-Souza
authors.forename: Andréa M A
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Nascimento
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D029441:Carica; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*; D004064:Digestive System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology; D048168:Escherichia coli K12 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D005260:Female; D005856:Germ-Free Life; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D011815:R Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D012639:Seeds; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts