A Comparison of the Effect of Ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi (L.) Sprague) and Mefenamic Acid for Alleviating the Symptoms of Primary Dysmenorrhea: An Open-Label Randomized Controlled Trial

Trachyspermum ammi (L.) Sprague (commonly known as ajwain) contains ingredients that attenuate menstrual problems, especially cramping. In this study, we evaluated the impact of ajwain on the pain intensity in a sample of Iranian female college students with primary dysmenorrhea (PD) in comparison to mefenamic acid (MFA). This study was an open-label, randomized, parallel-group clinical trial conducted in the university dormitories in Tehran, Iran, from September 2018 to May 2019. Seventy patients were randomly assigned to two groups of ajwain and MFA. The participants in the ajwain group were treated with a 500 mg ajwain capsule three times a day for seven days, from the 26th cycle day to the 3rd day of the menstrual cycle, for three consecutive cycle periods. The other group received MFA capsules with the first dose of 500 mg and then 250 mg every eight hours, if necessary, from the first day of the menstrual cycle. The two groups were compared in terms of the pain intensity by the visual analog scale (VAS) in pre-intervention cycle and three consecutive cycles during the study. Maximum pain intensity, mean pain, and duration of pain after the intervention were significantly reduced in both groups. The mean VAS score significantly decreased in the ajwain group compared to the MFA group post-intervention (p < 0.02). Moreover, passing blood clots was significantly reduced in the ajwain group (p < 0.03). The findings of this study suggest that ajwain may be effective in pain relief in PD without adverse effects.