Asafoetida

Asafoetida

Other Names: A Wei, Asafétida, Ase Fétide, Assant, Crotte du Diable, Devil's Dung, Ferula Asafoetida, Ferula Assa Foetida, Ferula assa-foetida, Ferula foetida, Ferula pseudalliacea, Ferula rubricaulis, Férule, Férule Persique, Food of the Gods, Fum, Giant Fennel, Heeng, Hing.
Asafoetida is a plant. It has a bad smell and tastes bitter. That probably explains why it is sometimes called “devil’s dung.”People use asafoetida resin, a gum-like material, as medicine. Asafoetida resin is produced by solidifying juice that comes out of cuts made in the plant’s living roots.

Special Precautions of Asafoetida

• Asafoetida is safe for most people in the amounts typically found in foods. There is some evidence that it might be safe when used as medicine. In some people, asafoetida can cause swelling of the lips, burping, intestinal gas, diarrhea, headache, convulsions, blood disorders, and other side effects.
• Children: Asafoetida is UNSAFE for infants because it might cause certain blood disorders.
• Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It is UNSAFE to use asafoetida if you are pregnant. It might cause a miscarriage. Avoid use.
• It is also UNSAFE to use asafoetida if you are breast-feeding. The chemicals in asafoetida could pass into breast milk and then cause bleeding disorders in the nursing infant. Avoid use.
• Bleeding disorders: There is concern that asafoetida might increase the risk of bleeding. Don’t use asafoetida if you have a bleeding disorder.
• Epilepsy or history of convulsions: Don’t use asafoetida if you have epilepsy or some other central nervous system condition that might lead to seizures or convulsions.
• Stomach and intestinal (gastrointestinal, GI) problems: Asafoetida can irritate the GI tract. Don’t use it of you have a GI infection or other GI condition.
• High blood pressure (hypertension) or low blood pressure (hypotension): There is some concern that asafoetida might interfere with blood pressure control. Avoid use if you have a blood pressure problem.
• Medications for high blood pressure (Antihypertensive drugs) interacts with Asafoetida.
• Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs) interacts with Asafoetida.

Benefits and uses of Asafoetida are

• breathing problems including ongoing (chronic) bronchitis, H1N1 "swine" flu, and asthma.
• digestion problems including intestinal gas, upset stomach, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and irritable colon.
• “whooping cough” (pertussis)
• croup
• hoarse throat.
• Hysteria.
• Intestinal gas.
• Stomach upset.
• Irritable colon.
• Convulsions.
• Nerve disorders.
• Menstrual problems.
• Corns and calluses, when applied directly to the skin.

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