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ASAFETIDA

Source:Ferula assa-foetidaL. (Family Um-
belliferae or Apiaceae).

Common/vernacular names:Asafetida, asa-
foetida, giant fennel; oleogum resin of the
plant: devil’s dung, food of the gods, and gum
asafetida.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Asafetida is the oleogum resin obtained by
incising or cutting the living rhizomes
and roots ofF. assa-foetida. It is a solid or
semisolid with a persistent alliaceous (garlic-
like) odor and bitter acrid taste. An essential
oil (asafetida oil) is obtained by steam
distillation.
F. assa-foetidais a large branching peren-
nial herb, up to 3 m high; native to south-
western Asia (eastern Iran and western
Afghanistan).

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

Contains 40–64% resinous material com-

posed of ferulic acid, asaresinotannols, um-

belliferone, and umbelliferone ethers (e.g.,

farnesiferols A, B, and C, kamolonol) among

others; approximately 25% gum composed of

glucose, galactose, L-arabinose, rhamnose,

and glucuronic acid; volatile oil (3–21%; usu-

al range 7–9%) consisting of disulfides and

polysulfides as its major components, notably

2-butyl propenyl disulfide (E- andZ-isomers),

with monoterpenes (a- andb-pinene, etc.),

free ferulic acid, valeric acid, and traces of

vanillin, are also present.1–8A chloroform

extract of the resins from the roots yielded

sesquiterpene coumarins, assafoetidnols A

and B,^9 3-O-acetylepisamarcadin,^10 samar-

candin, bradrakemin, galbanic acid, gummo-

sin, neveskone, and polyanthin.^9

Sulfur-containing compounds are respon-

sible for the characteristic flavor and odor

of asafetida (e.g., asadisulfide^11 and other

sulfides^12 ).

48 Asafetida