Tridax procumbens (dagadipala) and vitex negundo (nirgudi) leaf extracts as plasmid curing agents

Plasmid-encoded antibiotic resistance transcends bacterial genus and species, as plasmid-encoded resistance has been observed clinically for various Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogenic bacteria. Plasmid curing is the treatment of cells with a substance that interferes with plasmid replication. The present study was to investigate the plasmid curing activities of natural compounds over multidrug-resistant bacteria. E. coli strains known to have pUC19 and F plasmid were selected to assess the plasmid-curing efficacy of the compounds. The plasmid curing was done by overnight incubating the culture with the test compounds. Chloroform extracts of Tridax procumbens (Dagadi pala) and ethanol extract of Vitex negundo (Nirgudi) showed promising curing activity. Plasmid isolation and the replica plate method confirmed the elimination of the plasmid. Eliminating the plasmid using the natural compound makes it vulnerable to any antibiotic without drug resistance.