FERULA ASSAFŒTIDA, Linn.
Sans. Hingu. Vern. Hing, Beng. Hind.
Sanskrit writers describe assafœtida as an exudation from the root of the assafœtida plant which is indigenous to Persia, Khorasan and Multan.* Assafœtida is regarded as a stimulant and carminative and is much used in dyspepsia, flatulence, colic, and diseases of the nervous system. It is fried before being used internally. Raw or unfried assafœtida is said to cause vomiting.
Hingvashtaka churna. Take of fried assafœtida, ginger, long pepper, black pepper, ájowan, 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 clarified butter taken at breakfast. Thus administered, it is said to increase the appetite and digestive powers and to cure flatulence. Some writers recommend the above powder to be made into pills with lemon juice.
* Not now found at Multan. G. K.
Only p. 175 is transcribed; the article continues on p. 176. The Sanskrit name in Devanagari, the Sanskrit verses in the footnotes and the note numbers are not transcribed. Words hyphenated across a line break are joined.