Asafoetida-Synonyms Asafetida; Asant; Devil's dung; Food of the Gods; Gum Asafoetida

1. Asafoetida

Synonyms Asafetida; Asant; Devil's dung; Food of the Gods; Gum Asafoetida.

Biological Sources Asafoetida the oleo-gum-resin is obtained as an exudation of the decapitated rhizome on roots of Ferula assafoetida L.; Ferula foetida Regel, and some other species of Ferula, belonging to the nature order Umbelliferae.

Preparation Asafoetida is generally present as a milky liquid in the large schizogenous ducts and lysigenous cavities. However, these ducts and cavities are located more intensively in the cortex region of the stem and root. The drug is obtaining chiefly from the stem.

The fully grown plants are usually cut down to the crown region during the spring. The exposed surface is protected by a dome-like covering made up of twigs and leaves. After about a month, the hardened resinous substance is collected by scrapping. Likewise, the stems are also cut off and thereby additional collections of asafoetida are made frequently at an interval of 10 days unless and until the exudation ceases to ooze. Furthermore, it is also collected from the root by exposing its crown and excising the stem. The oleo-gum-resin exudes from the cut surface of the root and the former is collected soonafter it gets dried. Thus, the entire collection of asafoetida from the various portions of the plant are mixed together and dried in the sun.

Characteristic Features The drug occurs normally as soft mass or irregular lumps or ‘tears’ or agglomeration of tears. The tears are brittle and tough. Asafoetida has a strong, alliaceous, persistent garlic-like odour and having a bitter acrid taste. This oleo-gum-resin when triturated with water it gives a milky emulsion.

Chemical Constituents Asafoetida contains volatile oil (8-16°C) gum (25%) and resin (40-60%).

The volatile oil essentially consists of some organic sulphides solely responsible for attributing the characteristic garlic-like odour. The resin cousists of notannol, asaresinotannol i.e., the resin alcohols, which are present partially in the free state and partially in the combined form with ferulic acid. It also contains umbellic acid and umbelliferone; the latter is found combined with ferulic acid, but it gets generated on being treated with dilute HCl.

There are three sulphur-compounds that have been isolated from the asafoctida resin, namely:

(a) 1-Methylpropyl-1-propenyl disulphide,

(b) 1-(Methylthio) propyl-1-propenyl disulphide, and

(c) 1-Methylpropyl-3-(methylthio)-2- propenyl disulphide.

Interestingly, the latter two (i.e., ‘b’ and ‘c’) have pesticidal properties.

Chemical Tests

1. It forms an instant milky-white emulsion when triturated with water owing to the presence of gum.

2. The freshly fractured surface when treated with a drop of sulphuric acid (conc.), it gives rise to a reddish-brown colour which on being washed with water changes to violet colouration.

3. Likewise, when the freshly fractured surface is treated with nitric acid (50%), it produces a green colour readily.

4. Boil 1 g asafoetida powder with HCl (50%), filter and make the filtrate strongly alkaline with NH₄OH (conc.), it gives a blue fluorescence. It is also known as the Umbelliferone Test.

Uses

1. It is abundantly used in India and Iran as a common condiment and flavouring agent in food products.

2. It is also an important ingredient in Worcestershire Sauce.

3. It is used as a repellant [2% (w/v) suspension] against dogs, cats, deer, rabbits etc.

4. It is used seldomly as an antispasmodic, carminative, expedorant and laxative.

5. It is still employed in veterinary externally to prevent bandage chewing by dogs.

6. It is also used as a powerful nerving stimulant especially in nervous disorders related to hysteria.

Source:Pharmacognosy And Pharmacobiotechnology By Ashutosh Kar