ASAFOETIDA - Hing, Devil?s dung, Sahastravedhi - Ferula asafoetida (Umbeliferae)

Hingu is a very calming herb used to treat spasmodic pain.
It first stimulates but then, like most stimulants, causes a burning out and dullness of the mind. It is a very useful, pungently aromatic, anti-spasmodic and carminative herb.

Energetics :
- Rasa (taste) : Pungent
- Virya (action) : Heating
- Vipaka (post-digestive effect) : Pungent
- Guna (quality) : Unctuous, heavy, penetrating

Dosha : VK-, P+

Dhatu (tissue) : Plasma, blood, muscle, bone, nerve

Srota (channel) : Digestive, nervous, respiratory, excretory, female reproductive

Actions :
Digestive, carminative, anthelmintic, anti-spasmodic, analgesic, emmenagogue, expectorant.
Toxin digestive, Alleviates intestinal spasms, Helps breathing, Vermifuge, Redirects the flow of apanavata downwards, Promotes the flow of the menses, Analgesic.

Indications :

GIT : Its sharp, hot and unctuous property helps to clear high vata in the digestive tract, treating bloating, flatulence, colic and undigested food in the stool; it moves samana vayu and draws apana vayu down. Hingu is useful for addressing flora imbalance, especially Candida albicans and worms. Its hot quality strengthens agni but can easily aggravate pitta.

NERVE : An excellent anti-spasmodic in cough, asthma, cramps and intestinal spasm. It prevents apana vayu from reversing its flow upwards and sends it down 4. It is of benefit in high vata conditions such as paralysis, sciatica and epilepsy as it nourishes majja dhatu. Useful for stagnation in the nervous system due to exhaustion or blockages.

HEART : Its stimulating properties can help to clear cardiac pain and other vata disorders caused by obstructed vyana vayu.
GYNAECOLOGY : It immediately enters artava srotas via rasa dhatu and has a powerful influence on menstruation. It can specifically clear leucorrhoea with a kapha pathology. It has a beneficial effect on ovulation and menstruation as it warms the uterus and prevents spasms.

REPRODUCTION : Reproduction As a hot and stimulating herb it can be used for cold and sluggish conditions such as low libido and impotence. It can also benefit infertility from when there is a congested uterus from excess kapha.

Combinations :
- Ginger, Cardamom, Fennel for digestion and increasing agni.
- Vasaka, Pippali for spasmodic cough and especially whooping cough.
- Arjuna, Haritaki for heart problems with pain.
- Ashoka, Turmeric for dysmenorrhoea.
- Vacha, Pippali for nervous disorders and epilepsy
- Nutmeg, Ashwagandha for fertility.

Contraindications :
High pitta; inflammatory conditions of the liver and brain.
Do not use during pregnancy.

Dosage :
Use a low dose ? 100mg - 1g per day


* The resin is collected as an exudate from the root.
* For digestive, nervous and gynaecological purposes it should only be used fried in oil or ghee as this reduces some of its harsher inflammatory effects. Raw is fine for chest conditions requiring stimulation.
* It is usually blended with flour or maize to be used as a powder. Pure Hingu should dissolve in water leaving a milky-white colour to the water without any residue settled at the bottom of the glass.




* The main ingredient in Hingavastak churna, a major digestive formula for regulating apana vayu.