• Flatulence troublesome, expelled with great difficulty; loud and explosive. As a concomitant to most complaints
• Undulating twitching of single muscles where the patient first sees, rather than feel them
• Breasts turgid with milk when not pregnant

Source: Vegetable kingdom
Synonyms: Devil’s dung, Gum of the stinkasand, Hing
Family: Umbelliferae
Prover: Dr Franz in 1882
Duration of Action: 20-40 days

Introduction and History: The name Devil’s dung given to the drug is due to the offensive smell it produces. It was introduced to homeopathy in 1882 by Dr Franz.

Habit and Habitat: The plant grows in Iran, India and Nepal.

Preparation and Parts Used: Prepared from the root of Ferula asafoetida. It is a foetid gum resin, oftained from the root which has a garlicky odour. The resin is an amorphous mass which is ground into a coarse posder and used for making the mother tincture. It is soluble in alcohol. The mother tincture is prepared by dissolving the coarse powder of asafoetida in strong alcohol. Higher potencies are prepared from the mother tincture.

Constitution and Physiognomy: Indicated, generally in women, who are hysterical; with a plethoric appearance, puffed face; bloated, even dropsical, puffed; venous purple, a very troublesome face suggesting cardiac disturbance and venous stasis.

Ailments From: Suddenly suppressed discharges, abuse of mercury.

Seat of Action (Pharmacodynamics): Nervous system.

Characteristic Mental Symptoms (Psychology)

• Intolerably nervous and oversensitive-marked.
• Irritable, constantly complaining of her troubles, fickleness, cannot persevere in anything, wants a new thing and then another.
• Magnifies her symptoms, craves sympathy. Changing moods, fits of joy and ill-humour.
• Irritable, apprehensive.
• Hysterical restlessness and anxiety.
• Hysteria after suppression of discharges very marked.

Characteristic Physical Guiding Symptoms

1. Left-sidedness: Affinity to the left side; it usually affects the left side of the body.
2. Discharges: All the discharges are very offensive.
3. Stomach: All gone sensation at 11 am with a strange pulsation in the pit of the stomach.
4. Sensitiveness: It is the leading symptom especially in periosteal inflammations, ulcers, etc. The patient has an intolerance to all dressings.

General Modalities

Aggravation: Night, in room, rest, eating, suppression, noise, sitting, warm wraps, left side.

Amelioration:. Motion in open air, pressure.

Remedy Relationships

Follows well: Chin, Merc, Puls.

Antidotes: Alcohol, Ant-t, Caust, Merc, Puls.

Comparision

Globus hystericus: Asaf, Con, Ign, Lyc, Mag-m, Nux-m, Plat, Sep, Zinc.

Hyperaesthesia: Asar, Bell, Cham, Coff, Hep, Mosch, Nux-v.

Potency: 30 to 200.

Asafoetida Dosage : Lowest to high potencies.

Repetition: In acute conditions it is repeated in low potencies. In chronic conditions a single dose of high potency is sufficient to produce the result.

Therapeutic Value: Bone caries, Corneal ulcers, Deficient milk, Flatulence, Globus hystericus, Hysteria, Periosteal pains, Regurgitation, Reverse peristalsis, Ulcers.