Asafetida

At a glance

Origin / distribution: China, Turkey, India(Santal), Greece

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Antispasmodic, Carminative, Colic, Convulsion

Science studied: ASH, BUTYLPROPENYL-DISULFIDE, SEC-BUTYL-PROPENYL-DISULFIDE, DIALLYL-SULFIDE

Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗

Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.

Names and identity

Family: Apiaceae

Scientific name: Ferula assa-foetida

Common names: Asafetida, Asafoetida, Assa-foetida, Devil's Dung, Stinkasant (Ger.), Asafetida (Sp.), test, Stinkasant, asafetida, asafoetida, asafétida, assa-foetida, devil's-dung, dyvelsträck, férule persique

POWO: 842190-1 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in Elsewhere, China, Turkey, India(Santal), Greece.

It records these historical or traditional applications:

• Antispasmodic
• Carminative
• Colic
• Convulsion
• Convulsion(Infant)
• Croup
• Diuretic
• Emmenagogue

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

• Elsewhere
• China
• Turkey
• India(Santal)
• Greece

Documented cultural uses

• Antispasmodic
• Carminative
• Colic
• Convulsion
• Convulsion(Infant)
• Croup
• Diuretic
• Emmenagogue
• Expectorant
• Hemiplegia
• Nervine
• Polyp

Cultural record detail

These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.

• Antispasmodic · Elsewhere · "
• Carminative · China · "
• Carminative · Turkey · "
• Colic · Elsewhere · "
• Colic · India(Santal) · "
• Convulsion · India(Santal) · "
• Convulsion(Infant) · Elsewhere · "
• Croup · Elsewhere · "
• Diuretic · Turkey · "
• Emmenagogue · Turkey · "
• Expectorant · China · "
• Expectorant · Turkey · "
• Hemiplegia · India(Santal) · "
• Nervine · Turkey · "
• Polyp · Greece · "
• Sedative · Turkey · "
• Spice · Turkey · "
• Stimulant · China · "
• Vermifuge · Turkey · "
• Expectorant · Elsewhere · "
• Laxative · China · "
• Nervine · China · "
• Rinderpest · India(Santal) · "
• Stimulant · Turkey · "

10 additional documented entries remain in the source record.

Contemporary uses

Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.

Scientific research

Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.

Indexed research records

• Plant regeneration of Ferula assa-foetida (asafoetida) via root-derived callus from seed- embryo plantlets · 2026 source ↗
• Ferula assa-foetida Ameliorates Lead Acetate-induced Splenotoxicity and Hematological Disturbances in Rats via Enhancement of Antioxidant Defense and Suppression of Inflammatory Cytokines. · 2026 source ↗
• Exploring the Therapeutic Potential of Ferula assa-foetida Oleo-gum-resin in Colon Cancer: Emerging Links to Immunotherapy. · 2026 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

• ASH
• BUTYLPROPENYL-DISULFIDE
• SEC-BUTYL-PROPENYL-DISULFIDE
• DIALLYL-SULFIDE
• FERULIC-ACID
• OXYDASE
• RESIN
• VALERIC-ACID
• FOETIDIN
• KAMOLONOL
• RHAMNOSE
• VANILLIN
• BASSORIN
• CADINENE
• UMBELLIFERONE
• GUM

Legality

No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.

Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.

Reference images

Sources

Plants of the World Online (POWO) · Kew data terms; cite POWO/WCVP

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) · CC BY 3.0

CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive

Contributions and revisions

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