FERULA ASAFOETIDA; F. Alliaceae; F. Narthex; F. Scorodosma.

Sunday, 02 July 2006

Herbal Cure for Hysteria, Flatulence, Flatulent colic .. Sans.----Bhutnasan; Hingu; Sulanasan. Can.----Hingu. Eng.----Asafoetida-Hind., Duk., Ben., Punj., Guz., Mah., & Kon.----Hing. Cash----Yang. Tel.----Inguva. Tam.& Mal.----Perungayam.Cing.----Perunkayam. Burnt.----Shinka or Singu. Malay.----Hingu. Arab.----Tyib-Pers.----Angustha-gandha. Sind.----Vaghayani; Vagharni, Fr.----Ferule Asa-foetida. Ger.----Stinkendes Steckenkraut- Habitat.----This small plant grows wild in Punjaub, Cashmere, Persia and Afganistan. Parts Used.----The gum-resin (assfoetida) obtained by incision from the root. Constituents.----Volatile oil 5 p. c, containing essen-tial oil of garlic----allyl, allyl persuiphide and two turpenes; a resin 65 p. c. a ferulic acid ester of asaresino-tannol; free ferulic acid; gum 25 p.c, and ash 4 p.c. also malic, acetic, formic and valerainic acids. The resin on dry distillation yields umbelliferon which is not found in the Indian variety. When fused with potash it yields resorcin and pyrocatachuic acid. Action.----Stimulant; carminative antispasmodic, expectorant and slightly laxative; also anbhelmintic, duiretic, aphrodisiac and emmenagogue; it is a nervine and pulmonary stimulant; it acts on the organs of circulation and secretion, which it stimulates and also increases the sexual appetite. If long continued even in moderate doses, it gives rise to alliaceous eructations, acrid irritation in the throat, flatulence, diarrhea and burning in the urine. The volatile oil is rapidly excreted and may be found in the urine, milk and sweat. Preparations.----Pills, Powders, Plaster, Mixture Emulsion and Enema. Uses.----Asaftida, the concrete juice obtained from the plant is in popular use in India for many centuries, especially as an ingredient in condiments. It is a valuable remedy for hysteria, flatulence, flatulent colic and spasmodic affections of the bowels especially when connected with hysteria, in fainting, nervous palpitations, hypochondriasis and other affections due to hysteria, in the spasmodic, and the obstinate coughs of childhood remaining after attacks of inflammation and also in the advanced stages of whooping cough, pneumonia and bronchitis of children, and in the chronic bronchitis and asthma of adults. It is fried before being used. Raw , and unfried asafoetida is said to cause vomiting. It may be given in the form of 1 to 2 grains-pill or in that of a thick and milky emulsion (in doses of half to one ounce) prepared by rubbing down in a mortar five drachms of asafoetida in a pint of hot water and straining and setting aside to cool. To relieve fits of asthma inhalation of asafoetida smoke called Hingvadi Dhum is employed:----Asafoetida and a common pulse known as Udid (Phaseolus Roxburghi) are put on smokeless fire and the smoke of the burnt medicine is inhaled by means of a pipe. For hysteria and allied complaints pills made of asafoetida and aloes 1« grains each and a little honey are very beneficial. In flatulent distension of typhoid fever, cholera, convulsions and flatulent diseases of children and in peritonitis it is used as an enema, two drachms of asa-foetida being rubbed down in a pint of water or thin gruel, A tea-spoonful of a mixture 1 in 50 of water or thin gruel, with a little omum water added is often very effectual in relieving the flatulent colic of children. For flatulency a powder made of asafoetida, cardamom, ginger and rock-salt 1 grain each is also very beneficial. It may also be tried in the convulsions of pale, weakly children. For colic a powder containing equal parts of asafoetida, ajowan, chebulic myrobalans and rock-salt is a remedy in doses of 10 grains. The plaster of asafoetida is a good stimulant application to the chest of children suffering from whooping cough. Asafoetida is useful as an anthel- mintic for round worms in children; asafoetida enema is an effectual means of removing threadworms from the rectum and lower bowel. As anaesthetic asafoetida is employed in hemicrania and dental caries. An emulsion (5 grains of the gum to one drachm of water) is dropped into the nostrils to relieve the pain of hemicrania; in dental cities a mixture of opium and asafcetida is placed in the hollow tooth to relieve the ache. In diarrhea and the early stages of cholera a pill consisting of asafoetida, camphor and black-pepper 1 grain each and opium ¬ grain is said to be of great value. A9atoetida is given to increase the lochial discharge after child-birth; it is prepared and administered thus;----It is first fried; a small quantity is then mixed with garlic and palmyra jaggery and a bolus is made and given to the patient every morning. It is a valuable remedy in the treatment of habitual abortion. Dr. Turzza quotes several Italian authorities who have been successful in treating cases of habitual abortion since 1885, He follows the prescription of Dr. P. Negri of Venice;----6 grammes of asafoetida are made into 60 pills (each about a grain and a half). Directly the pregnancy is suspected one such pill is given twice a day; the dose is then slowly and gradually increased to ten pills a day and then gradusilly reduced till confinement. Gases having three to five previous abortions, cases complicated with permetritis catarrhal endometritis etc., and also cases in which abortion at sixth month was threatening are re-ported to have been treated with success by this drug, To increase the appetite and digestive powers and to cure flatulence a compound powder called Hingavashtaka Churna is recommended; it is made up thus:----Take of fried asafoetida, ginger, long.pepper, black-pepper, ajowan, cumin seeds, nigella seeds and rock-salt equal parts; reduce them to powder and mix. Dose----ten to twenty grains, to be taken with the first morsel of rice and clari-fied butter taken at breakfast----(Bhaishajyratnvali) Some writers recommend the above powder to be made into pills with lemon-juice. It is useful in indigestion and torpidity of liver also. For nervousness 5 grains of asafoetida made into a pill with a little soap is recommen-ded. In flatulent colic with costiveness, a suppository made of asafoetida, rock-salt! and honey and smeared over with clarified butter is introduced into the rectum----(Chakradatta). For ringworm asafoetida is applied as a paste; it is also a good application over scorpion bites. In hemiplegia, stiffneck, facial palsy, sciatica and other diseases of the nervous system, fried asafoetida is given along with a compound decoction called Mashabal di (Chakradatta).

Last Updated ( Sunday, 02 July 2006 )

 

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