| Herb: Asafoetida
Asafoetida (Ferula Foetida)
(also known as devil's dung, stinking gum, asant,food of the gods, giant fennel, hing, and ting) is the dried latex (gum oleoresin) exuded from the living underground rhizome or tap root of several species of Ferula, which is a perennial herb (1 to 1.5 m high). The species is native to Persia (Iran). Asafoetida has a pungent, unpleasant smell when raw, but in cooked dishes, it delivers a smooth flavor, reminiscent of leeks.
Medical applications
* fighting flu - Asafoetida was used in 1918 to fight the Spanish influenza pandemic. Scientists at the Kaohsiung Medical University in Taiwan report that the roots of Asafoetida produces natural antiviral drug compounds that kill the swine flu virus, H1N1. In an article published in the American Chemical Society's Journal of Natural Products, the researchers said the compounds "may serve as promising lead components for new drug development" against this type of flu.
* digestion - In Thailand, and India it is used to aid digestion and is smeared on the abdomen in an alcohol or water tincture known as mahahing.
* asthma and bronchitis - It is also said (See this Link) to be helpful in cases of asthma and bronchitis. A folk tradition remedy for children's colds: it is mixed into a pungent-smelling paste and hung in a bag around the afflicted child's neck.
* antimicrobial - Asafoetida has a broad range of uses in traditional medicine as an antimicrobial, with well documented uses for treating chronic bronchitis and whooping cough, as well as reducing flatulence.
* contraceptive/abortifacient - Asafoetida has also been reported to have contraceptive/abortifacient activity, and is related to (and considered an inferior substitute for) the ancient Ferula species Silphium.
* antiepileptic - Asafoetida oleo-gum-resin has been reported to be antiepileptic in classical Unani, as well as ethnobotanical literature.
* balancing the vata - In Ayurveda, asafoetida is considered to be one of the best spices for balancing the vata dosha. wikipedia.org
(dodano: 23-08-2010, ods³on: 262) | |
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