Effect of 2,4-Dinitrophenol Against Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria

Abstract

Multidrug-resistant bacteria have become very important in recent decades due to the health problems they cause. Different mechanisms of resistance in bacteria have been identified among which are efflux pumps. It is believed that chemical compounds such as 2,4-dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP) can inhibit efflux pumps which normally participate in detoxifying cells. In the present work antibiotic multiresistant cells were isolated. Resistance of these bacteria to different antibiotics was tested by the Kirby-Bauer method and ethidium bromide tolerance. It was assumed that they showed overexpression of efflux pumps. The effect of 2,4-DNP was tested and the antibiotic resistance and growth of the cells were measured. Although a strong inhibition effect by 2,4-DNP was observed, an unexpected variation in MICs among the samples suggests that 2,4DNP has a more complex effect on bacteria than originally assumed.