Tehran University of Medical Sciences Traditional and Integrative Medicine 2476-5104 5 2 2020 06 27 49 58 Mozhgan Mehri Ardestani Department of Persian Medicine, School of Medicine, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Atousa Aliahmadi Department of Biology, Medicinal Plants and Drug Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Iran Tayebeh Toliat Department of Industrial Pharmaceutical Laboratory, School of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Abdolhossein Dalimi Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, Karaj, Iran Zohreh Momeni Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, Karaj, Iran Roja Rahimi Department of Persian Medicine, School of Medicine, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Department of Traditional Pharmacy, School of Persian Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2020 06 27 Vaginal infections are one of the major reasons women visit a gynecologist. Increased re­sistance to conventional antibiotics is one of the main factors mitigating the development of new antimicrobial agents, especially those of natural origin. In traditional Persian medicine, Trachyspermum ammi has been claimed to clear vagina from excessive discharge. Therefore, in this study, the antimicrobial activity of Ajwain essential oil was evaluated against some vaginal pathogens. The essential oil of ajwain was picked up and the minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations (MIC and MBC) were revealed. The most frequently detected microorganisms involved in genital infections including Candida spp., Gardnerella vagina­lis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae and Lactobacillus acidophilus were considered. Evaluation of the essential oil of Trichomonas vaginalis was done by calculation of percent of growth inhibition. The essential oil showed a remarkable activity against the studied bacteria and fungi with MIC at a range of 0.0315 - 0.5 mg/ml and MBC at a range of 0.125 - 4 mg /ml. The highest inhibition and bactericidal activity was ob­served in S. agalactiae and G. vaginalis. 100% inhibition of T. vaginalis growth was shown at a concentration of 2000 μg/ml after 48 h by essential oil. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil was more than that of thymol. Supposedly essential oil of Trachyspermum ammi fruit could inhibit vaginal pathogens growth .Further preclinical and clinical studies are re­quired to confirm the efficacy of this natural agent in vaginitis. https://jtim.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jtim/article/view/239