Can anyone provide me with information on Ferula Asafoetida. I believe the scientific name may have recently changed. I encountered a huge invasion in Central Asia rangelands and I am not sure how to deal with it from an ecological point of view. I learned that it has medicinal benefits. However, it is avoided and not grazed by animals. Its smell is strong and unpleasant.
Ferula assa-foetida L. is used as spice, as aphrodisiac and as herbal remedy. It was used since ancient times. At the latin time the price of assa-foetida was higher than the price of gold. It was an ingrediance of the "Garum", a spice mixture in the Roman Empire. If you need informations of the chemical constituents and the other properties you may contact me.
Ferula asafoetida is a widely used spice. Besides it is a very useful medicinally. Best quality is believed to be from Afghanistan and Iran. It is an oleo gum resin which exudes out of the rhizomes. Normally it is used as an antiflatulent, digestive aid. Pharmacologically used as antimicrobial, antiasthmatic, antiepileptic and also reported to have contraceptive/abortifacient activity.
The strong smell is inherent and characteristic of the oleogum resin. You cannot mask its smell when it is around you. Those who sell it have a strong smell in their shops and later they become adapted to it. I mean to say it is strong but not unbearable.
The gum oleoresin or latex of the underground parts is widely used in the food industry for flavoring. In India it is very popular. It has several medicinal properties also.
Why not economically utilize your plants to produce the economic product?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asafoetida
Ferula grows abundantly on the ruins of Roman Ephese in Asia minor. Appropriately illustrating its classical role outlined in the preceding answers.
The dried latex (oleo gum resin) obtained from the rhizome and root of Ferula asafoetida is a commercially significant produce of the plant. It is acrid and bitter in taste and emits a strong pungent odour and extensively used as flavouring agent in cooking and in making food products like curries, sauces, and pickles. It is also used in medicines because of its antibiotic properties. Though Ferula asafoetida is the main species producing the commercially important oleo gum resin, however other species namely, F. persica, F. alliacea, F. foetida and F. narthes are also used as inferior substitutes. The pungently flavoured gum-resin is alterative, anthelmintic, antiperiodic, antispasmodic, carminative, deobstruent, deodorant, expectorant, laxative, sedative, circulatory stimulant and stomachic and used in the treatment of simple digestive problems such as wind, bloating, indigestion and constipation, and also for respiratory problems such as bronchitis, bronchial asthma and whooping cough, lowering blood pressure and thinning the blood. The resin has a synergistic effect on other herbal preparations such as camphor, valerian and nux-vomica. As such, a plant with so many applications and immense commercial value, its invasion in your reason can not be a problem rather this huge resource can be beneficially utilized for value added product development as suggested by Dr Rao.
Many thanks for those who replied to my query about Ferula. Its multipurpose use makes it of great value for human.
Ferula asafoetida -Apiaceae Olio gum-resin from root but now a days synthetically prepared for the market purpose. It too costly the original material which is not able to inhale, used widely digestive, gastritis.