Antioxidant and Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitory Potential of Aqueous Extract of Ferula Asafoetida

Background: Ferula asafoetida is a dried latex that is exuded from rhizome or taproot species. Organosulfides are primarily responsible for flavour and odour of asafoetida.Ferula asafoetida is a natural medicine good for asthma and bronchitis. is also used to relieve stomach gas, digestive issues. It is usually added while cooking to hormonise the sweet, sour, salty, spicy taste of the food. Increased activity of xanthine oxidase is involved in the medical condition known as gout, which is characterized by hyperuricemia that leads to deposition of uric acid in the joints resulting in painful inflammation. Aim: To analyse the anti-oxidant and xanthine oxidase inhibitory potential of aqueous extract of Ferula asafoetida. Materials and Methods: Preparation of the aqueous seed extract of Ferula asafoetida done by hot percolation method. Phytochemical screening, in vitro antioxidant activity and xanthine oxidase inhibitory potential was done by standard procedures. The data were analyzed statistically by a one - way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Duncan’s multiple range test was used to see the statistical significance among the groups. The results with the p<0.05 level were considered to be statistically significant. Results: The phytochemical screening revealed that the extract is rich in phytoconstituents. DPPH radical scavenging activity established the potent in vitro antioxidant activity (p<0.05) of Ferula asafoetida extract. The extract was also efficient in inhibiting the activity of xanthine oxidase enzyme (p<0.05) in a concentration dependent manner. Discussion: The extract has potent antioxidant and xanthine oxidase inhibitory potential, although the activities are less compared to the standard drug. Conclusion: The Ferula asafoetida extract can be used to treat gout and to combat various other disorders associated with xanthine oxidase activity.

Hing (Ferula asafoetida). A Review Based Upon its Ayurvedic and Pharmacological Properties

Ferula is considered as the third largest genus of the family Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) which consists of 180-185 species. Asafoetida is defined as the oleo-resin gum extracted from the stem and rhizome of the Ferula asafetida plant. It is commonly called Hing or Devil's dung. It is a native species of Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. In Ayurveda, it is described as an analgesic agent and is mentioned in Charak Samhita. It carries a strong, tenacious and sulfurous odor. It is also used as a spice or as a condiment in various cookeries as a flavor like in curries, fresh vegetables, meat, pickles and pulses. Asafetida is distinguished as asafetida hing (hing) and asafetida (hingra). Traditionally, the plant is used to treat diseases like whooping cough, asthma, bronchitis, epilepsy, ulcer, stomachache, flatulence, bronchitis, antispasmodic, intestinal parasites, influenza and weak digestion. The main active constituents present in the Ferula asafetida plant are resins, gums and essential oils. From the reported studies it was found that the plant possesses various therapeutic and pharmacological properties like antioxidant, antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, antitumor, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antispasmodic, hypertensive, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective and antiviral properties. In this review article, attempts have been made to describe the overall plant based on its modern and traditional view.

Asafoetida (Ferula asafoetida): A high-value crop suitable for the cold desert of Himachal Pradesh, India

Asafoetida (Ferula asafoetida) also known as heeng, Devil’s drug, ferula, food of Gods, incense of Devil, stinking gum is an important spice crop belonging to family Apiaceae. It is native to Iran and Afghanistan. Its dried latex (gum oleoresin) is generally used for flavouring curries, sauces, and pickles. Therapeutically, it stimulates the intestinal and respiratory tracts as well as the nervous system. It is beneficial in asthma, whooping cough, and chronic bronchitis. Its essential oil is also used in medicines, food and cosmetic industries. Besides, it is also used as an alternative for pesticides in organic farming. The major constituents of asafoetida are the resin (40–64%), gum (25%) and essential oil (10–17%). The butyl propenyl disulphide is responsible for the aroma of asafoetida. The asaresinotannol is the major constituent present in the resin. It can be grown on unproductive cold deserts of dry temperate areas of Himalayas. It is mainly propagated by seeds. The seeds are sown either in winters or spring. It becomes ready for harvesting after 5 years of planting and yields around 900g per plant. The oleo gum resin and essential oil derived from this plant are sold at premium prices in the international market. The small and marginal farmers of Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti and Chamba can benefit from this new emerging crop.

Ferula asafoetida Linn. is effective for early functional recovery following mechanically induced insult to the sciatic nerve of a mouse model

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of Ferula asafoetida (oleo gum resin powder) on sensory and motor functions retrieval on an induced sciatic nerve injury in a mouse model.Methods: A mechanical crush was inserted in the sciatic nerve of all the experimental mice after acclimatization. The mice were allocated to four groups; one normal chow group (control, n = 7) and three Ferula asafoetida chow groups (each n = 7) of different doses (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg). Muscle grip strength, muscle mass, and sciatic functional index were measured to evaluate the motor function regain, while sensory function regain was assessed by hot plate test. Oxidative stress and glycemic levels were measured by biochemical assays.Results: The findings of this study indicate that Ferula asafoetida 200 mg/kg has a highly significant (p≤ 0.001) ameliorating effect in terms of improved grip strength (77.7 ± 5.4 % for 200 mg/kg vs. 46 ± 5.1 % for control), reversal of SFI towards normal ( -34 ± 8.1 for 200 mg/kg group vs. –61 ± 6.1 for control), decrease in paw withdrawal latency (7.10 ± 0.06 s for 200 mg/kg group vs. 15 ± 0.5 s for control) on day 12 post-injury, as well as restoration of skeletal muscle mass towards normal. Interestingly, F. asafoetida chow 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg groups also impacted significant (p < 0.01) improvement in the ameliorative effect. However, the differences among all treatment groups in ameliorating recovery were not significant (p > 0.05). Moreover, comparatively improved (p < 0.0001) total antioxidant capacity along with reduced total oxidant status (p = 0.01) in the Ferula asafoetida chow (200 mg/kg) group, indicate the antioxidative effect of this plant. Furthermore, the treated mice (200 mg/kg) also expressedan improved glycemic level (p = 0.0005).Conclusion: Ferula asafoetida supplementation helps to accelerate both sensory and motor function retrieval following sciatic nerve injury. This improvement is thought to be correlated with the antioxidant capacity of the plant. However, further investigations are required to identify the therapeutic principles responsible for the observed actions. Keywords: Sciatic nerve injury, Ferula asafoetida, Function recovery, Oxidative stress, Biochemical analysis

Anti-Epileptic Potential of Ziziphus Vulgaris and Ferula Asafoetida Extracts in Drug Induced Seizure Models of Experimental Mice

Background: Ziziphus vulgaris (ZV) and Ferula asafoetida (FA) have phenolic compounds with potential anti-epileptic activity. Objective: This study was aimed to investigate the anti-epileptic potential of hydroalcoholic (30:70) crude extracts of ZV and FA. Methods: Different doses (5 mg/ml, 15 mg/ml, 25 mg/ml) of extracts from ZV and FA were separately administered intraperitoneally to groups (7/group) of male albino mice (20-30 g). Phenytoin (15 mg/ml, intraperitoneal) was used as positive control. After 30 min, tonic-clonic seizures were induced by intraperitoneal administration of picrotoxin (6 mg/ml) and strychnine (4 mg/ml) in separate groups. Animals were monitored for 1 h and different parameters including onset and frequency of seizures and protection (against mortality & seizures) were determined. Results: A dose dependent significant delay in onset and decrease in seizure frequency as well as mortality was observed in animals treated with plant extracts (ZV and FA). Positive control (phenytoin) also showed significant delay in seizure onset and decreased the seizure frequency. Conclusion: The plant extracts (ZV and FA) contain the phenolic compounds which may induce the GABAergic transmission that could be the most probable mechanism for their anti-epileptic activity. Molecular studies and histopathological analysis are required to elucidate the exact anti-epileptic mechanisms of ZV and FA extracts.