2023, Vol. 11, Issue 1, Part C

Trachyspermum ammi, commonly known as ajwain, is a commonly consumed medicinal herb used to treat a variety of ailments. Oral tradition suggest that it is unsafe for pregnant women to consume as it may cause early contractions and miscarriages. To test this claim, isolated uterine horns from laboratory mice that had been brought to the same physiological state as a pregnant mouse, were suspended in a physiological organ bath. Oxytocin was administered as a viability check prior to treating with ajwain concentrations of 0.41, 0.82, and1.64 mg/20 mL DeJalons buffer. ANOVA results indicated significant increases in both uterine contractile force (p<0.0001) and frequency (p<0.0001) following ajwain applications. While further testing is needed to see if this effect would translate to humans in vivo, these results do provide enough evidence to warrant cautiousness about consumption of ajwain while pregnant.