BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Due to the use of medicinal plants in the treatment of endocrine diseases, including ovarian cyst and on the other hand, according to the estrogenic properties of cumin, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cumin oil on histopathological changes in the rat ovary, in the presence or absence of dopaminergic agonists and antagonists.

METHODS: In this experimental animal models study, 35 female rats were divided into 7 groups, they received, saline, metoclopramide (90 mg/kg intrapreritoneal), bromocriptine (4mg/kg subcutaneous), metoclopramide, bromocriptine, metoclopramide, cumin (4mg/kg oral), cumin, bromocriptine, cumin, for 10 days, respectively and then sacrificed by chloroform, then ovaries were removed and the number of ovarian cysts, follicular atresia and mature follicles were studied by histopathological methods.

FINDINGS: Metoclopramide significantly increased, the number of follicle atresia (1/4±0/254) and the number of follicular cysts (2±0) in four field microscopy (p≤0.002). Bromocriptine increased significantly, the number of mature follicles(1/4±0/254). Cumin increased, the number of follicle atresia (0/5±0/289) and follicular cysts but prevented the effect of metoclopramide in increasing the number of follicular cysts.

CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that cumin can prevent ovarian cysts by dopaminergic antagonists. While in the presence of dopaminergic agonis has cyst-forming effect.