Phytochemical and Antibacterial Properties of the Essential oils of Medical Plant Ajowan (Carum copticum L.) by Micro dilution method

Plants used for traditional medicine contain a wide range of substances which can be used to treat various infectious diseases. In the study, essential oil was extracted from the seed of Ajowan and the resulting extracts were evaluated by gas chromatography (GC-MS). Analysis and then assayed in vitro for theircapability to inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria.In this study, the essential oil of Ajowan (Carumcapticum) obtained by hydrodistillation was analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in order to determine their chemical composition. The antimicrobial effect of essential oil was determined using broth microdiluation method.Twenty-one (21) components in the oil of Ajowan were identified. The results indicated that the major components of the essential oil were Thymol (23.3%), p-cymene (17.5%), γ-Terpinene(16.8%) were present in fairly good amounts. However, it exhibited highest zone of inhibition (38 mm) against E.coli. The MIC value was also determined against all the tested bacteria. The MIC values of essential oil were found to be 3/75mg/ml against E.coli and 1/87 mg/ml against, Staphylococcus aureus present in Ajowan,Thymol, the major phenolic compound of essential oils plays an important role in antimicrobial activity.