Asafoetida: Health Benefits, Therapeutic Uses, Dosage and Side Effects

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

Asafoetida Latin name is "ferula" means carrier or vehicle, it is an oleo-gum-resin obtained from the rhizome and root of the Ferula asafoetida plant. Asa is a Latinized form of Persian word "aza" meaning a resin, and the word "foetida" means a bad stinking smell which refers to its strong sulfurous odor.

In the Middle Ages, a small piece of Asafoetida was tied around the neck and arms to keep one safe from seasonal bacterial, and viral illness such as cold, cough, and fever. 

For several centuries, Asafoetida has been in constant use as a tempting spice and trusted medicine in many systems of medicine like Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Chinese, and Persian.

It is a popular household remedy and is used in many prescriptions in traditional healing. It is reputed to expel wind from the stomach and counteract any spasmodic disorder. It is also taken as a nervine stimulant, digestive agent and a sedative.

In nutshell, Asafoetida is used as a digestive aid in food, as a flavoring agent in curries, fried or barbecued meat, dal, pickles, and as a constituent of many spice mixtures. The whole plant is used as a fresh vegetable and as an antidote in opium poisoning.

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2. Nutritional Value

As per a study, 100 grams of Asafoetida contains 68.8 percent carbohydrates, 16.0 percent moisture, 4.0 percent protein, 1.1 percent fat, 7.0 percent minerals, and 4.1 percent fiber.

Its minerals and vitamin contents include substantial calcium besides phosphorus, iron, carotene, riboflavin, and niacin. Its calorific value is 297.

It also contains resin, gum, volatile oil, and ash, the resin consists chiefly of asaresinotannol, free or combined with ferulic acid. Umbelliferone seems to be present in the combined state.

3. Classical Categorization

• Dhanvantari Nighantu – Shatpushpadi varga
• Madanpal Nighantu – Sunthyadi varga
• Kaiyadev Nighantu – Oshadi varga
• Raj Nighantu – Pippalyadi varga
• Bhavaprakasha Nighantu – Haritaktyadi varga
• Charak Samhita - Deepaniya, Shwasahara
• Sushrut Samhita - Pippalyadi Varga
• Ashtanga Hridya - Ushakadi

4. Types

Asafoetida is available in market in three forms which is as under:

• Tear: Purest form rounded or flattened in shape with gray color.
• Mass: Most common form consisting of stuck tears of oleo-gum-resin and forms a mass mixed with fragment of soil, etc.
• Paste: Contains soil and woody matter. 

5. Ayurvedic Properties 

1. Rasa (Taste): It has pungent (Katu) taste.

2. Virya (Potency): It is hot in nature (Ushna).

3. Vipaka (Post-digestive taste): It has pungent (Katu) taste.

4. Guna (qualities) - Laghu, Snigdha, Tikshna.

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6. Identity, Purity and Strength

• Foreign Matter – Not more than 2%
• Total Ash – Not more than 15%
• Acid-insoluble ash – Not more than 3%
• Alcohol-soluble extractive – Not less than 50%
• Water-soluble extractive – Not less than 50%

(Source: The Ayurvedic Pharmacopeia of India 1989)

7. Ayurvedic and Pharmacological Actions

Ayurvedic Actions

It has appetizer, digestive, relish, laxative, cardio tonic, purgative, beneficial for vision, tonics, antispasmodic, anthelminitic and tonics.

• Doshakarma – Kapha vatahara and Pitta vardhak.
• Dhatukarma – Deepan, Balaya.
• Malakarma – Anulomana, Sara.

Pharmacological Actions

It has analgesic, antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant, anticancer, antiobesity, anti-flatulence, and digestive enzymes promoter.

8. Health Benefits 

In traditional folklore medicine, it is beneficial in worm infestation, hysteria, convulsions, asthma, bronchitis, ulcers, whooping cough, abdominal disease, constipation, menstrual-related disease, eye disease, bladder pain, dental carries, earache, piles and insanity.

9. Uses

Children’s Disorders

Asafoetida is also used extensively in treating nervous disorders and stomach pain. It helps to cure many diseases, especially germs that are sensitive to their odor.

Impotency

It is believed that Asafoetida is an effective remedy to treat impotency, it is also considered a specific medicine for premature ejaculation.

Respiratory Disorders

Asafoetida is useful in the treatment of respiratory disorders like whooping, cough, asthma, and bronchitis.

Stomach Disorders

This is one of the best remedies for flatulence and is an essential ingredient in most digestive powders.

Toothache

Asafoetida is useful in alleviating toothache; it helps to give relief from pain quickly.

Women’s Aliments

This herb is very useful in the treatment of women’s health ailments like sterility, unwanted abortion, pre-mature labor, painful, difficult, and excessive menstruation, and leucorrhea.

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10. Recommended Dosage for Health Issues

Children’s Disorders

As per an old European belief that a small piece of this gum hung around a child’s neck, protected him from various diseases.

Impotency

About 6 cm of Asafoetida fried in ghee and mixed with honey, take a tsp of fresh latex of banyan tree. Mix them and take this mixture once daily for 40 days before sunrise.

Respiratory Disorders

Take 3-6 cm of this gum mixed with 2 tsp of honey, a quarter tsp of white onion juice, and 1 tsp of betel leaf juice, taken thrice daily.

Stomach Disorders

In case of flatulence and distension of the stomach, a pad of cloth steeped in Asafoetida dissolved hot water is used to foment the abdomen.

Toothache

Take Asafoetida and pestle in lemon juice, heated slightly and a cotton piece, soaked in the solution, is placed in the cavity of the tooth.

Women’s Aliments

Take 12 cm of Asafoetida and fried in ghee, mixed with 120 grams of goat’s fresh milk and tsp of honey. Take this thrice a day for 30 days.  This excites the secretion of the progesterone hormone.

Owing to its antiflatulent and digestive properties, the herb is beneficial during the post-delivery period. In Southern India, the powder of the Asafoetida mixed with rice is given to women after delivery.

11. General Dosage

Powder: 125 to 500mg.

12. Official Part Used

Gum-resin 

13. Ayurvedic Formulations 

Hingvadivati, hingvastak churna, hingutriguna taila, hingvadhya ghrita, hingvadi gutika, agnimukha churna.

14. Side Effects

If it is used within therapeutic doses, it does not show any toxicity or adverse effect. But consumption in large doses may lead to bulging in the mouth, diarrhea, flatulence, nervousness, and headache.

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15. How to check Asafoetida is pure or not?

It is adulterated with wheat flour, small stone particles, starch powder, or other cheap oleo-gum resins. To check if Asafoetida is pure, mix a small quantity of Asafoetida in water. The water will turn milky white, and in fire, pure Asafoetida will burn completely.