Effect of 1-(1-Naphtylmethyl)-piperazine, an efflux pump inhibitor, on antimicrobial drug susceptibilities of clinical Acinetobacter baumannii isolates

Curr Microbiol. 2011 Feb;62(2):508-11. doi: 10.1007/s00284-010-9736-9. Epub 2010 Aug 18.

Abstract

In this study, the effects of 1-(1-naphtylmethyl)-piperazine (NMP), an efflux pump inhibitor, on antimicrobial drug susceptibilities of 42 clinical Acinetobacter baumannii isolates were investigated by the disc diffusion method. The inhibition zone diameters of antibiotic discs were tested in the presence and absence of NMP and then these zone diameters were compared. Presence of NMP restored ciprofloxacin susceptibility in 15 intermediate and 2 resistant isolates. One ciprofloxacin resistant isolate became intermediate in the presence of NMP. One isolate resistant to gentamicin became intermediate with NMP. Interestingly, one isolate susceptible to meropenem became resistant in the presence of NMP. Although NMP increased the inhibition zone diameters of some of the tested antibiotics against the resistant isolates, the increase was not enough to restore susceptibility. In conclusion, the presence of NMP increases the zone diameters of ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin. Intermediate strains become susceptible but the resistant isolates do not.

MeSH terms

  • Acinetobacter Infections / microbiology
  • Acinetobacter baumannii / drug effects*
  • Acinetobacter baumannii / isolation & purification
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Ciprofloxacin / pharmacology
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial / drug effects*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Gentamicins / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Meropenem
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Piperazines / pharmacology*
  • Thienamycins / pharmacology

Substances

  • 1-(1-naphthylmethyl)piperazine
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Gentamicins
  • Piperazines
  • Thienamycins
  • Ciprofloxacin
  • Meropenem