Asafoetida

Scientific name: Ferula assa-foetida L Other names in English: Devil's Dung, Food of the Gods, Fum, Hing, Assafetida, Stingingassa. Cultivation mode: Wild collection In manufacturing: Pharmaceutical, Perfumery, Joss stick, Pickles, Alcoholic drink, Oil, Spice, Opium antidote Chemical Composition:Asafoetida possesses a powerful alliaceous odour and a bitter acrid taste. It contains a volatile oil (4-20%), resin (40-60%), gums (20%) and some impurities. The oil consists chiefly of isobutyl propanyl disulphide and related compounds, which are responsible for the characteristic smell of the gum resin. The resin is composed of coumarins such as umbelliferone, 5- hydroxyumbelliprenin, 8-hydroxyumbelliprenin, 9-hydroxyumbelliprenin, 8- acetoxy, 5-hydroxy umbelliprenin, asafoetidin, ferocolicin and asacoumarins A&B; phenols such as asaresinol ferulate and free ferulic acid and a group of sesquiterpenes, farnesiferol A, B, & C characteristically containing coumarin groups.