Abstract
Hexane extract and methanol fraction from the stem bark of Myristica lowiana specifically and significantly inhibited the conjugal transfer of the IncW plasmid R7K, a plasmid which harbors ampicillin-, streptomycin-, and spectinomycin-resistant genes. The transfer of this plasmid via the conjugative pilli of Escherichia coli was reduced by 76.5 ± 2.0% and 79.0 ± 1.2% by hexane extract and methanol fraction of M. lowiana, respectively. The hexane extract exhibited significant anti-conjugant activity at a non-cytotoxic concentration of 100 mg/L as assessed against adult human dermal fibroblast cells. The hexane extract and methanol fraction were screened using phytochemical tests, NMR spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, and high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HRESIMS) and were found to contain terpenoids, sterols, and fatty acids.