Antibacterial Activity and Chemical Composition of Ajowan (Carum copticum Benth. & Hook) Essential Oil

Gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were employed to determine the chemical composition of essential oil obtained from dry fruits of Carum copticum. Thymol (36.7%), -terpinene (36.5%) and -cymene (21.1%) were found to be the major constituents of the oil. The anti-bacterial activities of the oil were mainly investigated against food poisoning bacteria (Salmonella thyphimorium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Entero-pathogenic Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus) by broth microdilution and agar diffusion methods. The oil exhibited significant anti-bacterial activities against all the examined bacteria. In conclusion, the results of this study showed that the oil of Ajowan is rich in monoterpenes and it may be used as a natural anti-bacterial agent in drug and food industries.