Health Benefits of Asafoetida

By lio

Reviewed: dr. vanta

Article Sources

Article Sources

• 1. Amalraj, Augustine, and Sreeraj Gopi. 'Biological Activities and Medicinal Properties of Asafoetida: A Review.' Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, Elsevier, 20 Dec. 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5506628/
• 2. Mahendra, Poonam, and Shradha Bisht. 'Ferula Asafoetida: Traditional Uses and Pharmacological Activity.' Pharmacognosy Reviews, Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd, July 2012, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3459456/.

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Asafoetida is a spice used in some South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines to add a garlic or onion-like flavor to dishes. From the gum of a type of fennel plant, asafoetida has a strong smell and taste.

But asafoetida is more than a complement to a dish. It has been used in folk medicines to treat all kinds of ailments and conditions. Although the research into its use is limited, this spice shows potential to have a surprising diversity of medical benefits. Asafoetida may help with various illness, from the brain to digestion, and more studies are underway.¹Amalraj, Augustine, and Sreeraj Gopi. ‘Biological Activities and Medicinal Properties of Asafoetida: A Review.’ Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, Elsevier, 20 Dec. 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5506628/

1. Protecting the Brain

Asafoetida has an interesting effect on the brain. In multiple experiments with lab rats, asafoetida extract was effective in protecting the brain from neurological toxins and damage. More interestingly, male rats given the extract scored better on tests of memory than they did before. This effect was even observed in rats with dementia-like illnesses.

Researchers think this may be due to sulfur and other biologically active compounds in asafoetida. There is hope that asafoetida extract could be used in medicines or treatments to prevent or even one day cure cases of amnesia and memory loss.¹Amalraj, Augustine, and Sreeraj Gopi. ‘Biological Activities and Medicinal Properties of Asafoetida: A Review.’ Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, Elsevier, 20 Dec. 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5506628/