ABSTRACT
Background: Pimpinella anisum is medicinally an important herb, used for centuries in Unani system of medicine for the management of various ailments. In the present paper, its seed is shown to possess antimicrobial activity in women suffering from bacterial vaginosis.
Materials and Methods: The patients were divided into four groups, after confirming the diagnosis by clinical and microbiological examination. The patients in group I served as control group while in group II, III and IV served as tests group. The patients in group I were administered standard drug Tab. Metronidazole 400 mg, three times a day for seven days by oral route. The patients in group II were administered decoction of 5 gm seeds twice a day by oral route for fourteen days. The patients in group III were treated by per vaginal application of tampon prepared from 5 gm powdered seeds, at bed time for two weeks. While the patients in group IV were treated with both decoction and tampon by same manner as in above groups.
Results: This study clearly showed that the test drug is very effective in bacterial vaginosis, which is evident by decrease in amount of abnormal vaginal discharge, malodour, low backache, lower abdominal pain, pH and clue cells. It was further strengthened by negative amine test. The efficacy of test drug may be attributed to its antimicrobial activity which was almost equal to that of Metronidazole.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that the test drug has been proved to be effective and safe in treatment of bacterial vaginosis. The study further indicates that simultaneous administration of decoction and tampon is more effective.
Keywords: Bacterial Vaginosis, Sailan-ur-rahem, Pimpinella anisum, Anisoon.