Asafoetida: Homeopathic Medicine – Its Use, Indications and Dosage

The homeopathic remedy Asafoetida is derived from the plant ‘Narthex Asafoetida’. This plant belongs to family Umbelliferae. The gum resin obtained by incising the living root of this plant undergoes potentization (a process to prepare homeopathic medicines that extract and intensify the medicinal properties of a crude substance). With this process, it gets converted into a very important medicine Asafoetida. It is a prominent medicine in homeopathy to treat gastric problems mainly gas, bloating and also bone-related complaints majorly bone decay and bone pain.

The ‘Asafoetida’ Constitution

This medicine is suitable for nervous and hysterical persons (showing uncontrollable extreme emotions).

Drug Action

This medicine manifests its chief action on the gastric system and the bones. It also acts well on the female genitals and breast. Lastly, its action is noted on the ears, nose and the throat.

Clinical Indications

Gas, bloating, burping, diarrhea, bone diseases, bone decay, decreased breast milk production, ear discharge, ozaena, globus hystericus

Scope As A Homeopathic Remedy

1.Gastric System (Gas, Bloating, Burping, Pain And Diarrhoea)

This medicine has vast action on the gastric system. It is a very effective medicine to manage excessive gas and stomach bloating. The most characteristic feature is that the gas pushes upwards and none passes downwards. There is much rolling of gas in the abdomen which is followed by loud burps that smell like garlic. It can be given to manage rhythmic pain (frequent pain at regular interval) in the abdomen from gas. Heat is felt in the abdomen. Another important feature for its use is regurgitation of liquids (back flow of liquid from stomach into food pipe and mouth). It is also helpful to manage cutting and burning type of pain in the stomach. The stomach feels full of gas. It offers help to manage empty sensation in the pit of the stomach from hunger, specifically gets worse around 11 am. Lastly it is beneficial to manage diarrhea. It is used when there is watery, dark stool having an offensive smell with tight distended abdomen and regurgitation of food. Offensive gas passes along with stool.

Key Indicating Features

Excessive gas in abdomen that pushes upwards and none downwards

Rolling of gas in abdomen followed by loud burps smelling like garlic

Diarrhea with watery, dark, offensive stool with tight distended abdomen and regurgitation of food

2. Bones (Bone Pain, Bone Decay)

This medicine has great affinity to manage bone-related issues. It is successfully used in managing bone pain and bone decay. For using it, the pain in bones vary from case to case. The pain can be sharp, stitching, pressive, aching, boring or darting type. The pain may wander from one bone to the other. In case of bone decay, its use is preferred when there is intense bone pain of throbbing type at night. It is attended with marked sensitivity in affected bones.

Key Indicating Features

Bone pain sharp, stitching, pressive, aching, boring or darting in nature

Bone decay with throbbing pain at night attended with sensitivity

 3. Female Problems (Scanty Periods, Short Periods, Vaginal Discharge, Uterine Ulcers)

Asafoetida has marked action on female genitals as well. It can effectively deal with cases of scanty/ short/ early periods. During periods, a person feels irritable. It is of great value to manage vaginal discharge. It works well for cases having green, thin vaginal discharge that is profuse and has offensive smell. It can also be used to control excessive sexual desire in women (nymphomania). Its last indication is management of uterine ulcers. Here it is given when ulcers in uterus are painful and sensitive accompanied by offensive discharge.

Key Indicating Features

Scanty, short and early periods

Green, thin, profuse, offensive smelling vaginal discharges

Ulcers in uterus that are painful, sensitive accompanied with offensive discharge

4. Breast Complaints (Nipple Discharge And Galactagogue)

Its action is also noted on the breast. Firstly, it is a highly valuable medicine to manage cases of galactorrhea (means milky discharge from the nipples that is not associated with normal milk production that occurs for breast feeding). Secondly, Asafoetida can be given if there is decreased breast milk production. This medicine is known to act as a galactagogue that promotes milk production during breastfeeding in women who are sensitive by nature.

Key Indicating Features

Galactorrhea i.e. milky discharge from the nipples, not associated with milk production during breast feeding

To promote breast milk production during breastfeeding

5. Ears (Ear Discharge And Hardness Of Hearing)

By acting on the ears, Asafoetida helps to manage otorrhoea (ear discharge). It is recommended for offensive pus-like ear discharge accompanied with boring pain in the mastoid bones. One may also find it useful to manage hardness of hearing along with thin, offensive pus discharge from the ears.

Key Indicating Features

Offensive pus-like ear discharge accompanied with boring pain in mastoid bones

Hardness of hearing along with thin, offensive pus ear discharge

6. Nose (Discharges, Ozaena And Decay Of Nasal Bones)

Use of Asafoetida is also considered in managing certain nasal complaints. This medicine works wonderfully to manage offensive discharge from the nose. It is a brilliant medicine to handle cases of decay of nasal bones. It is a top-listed medicine to manage ozaena. Also known as atrophic rhinitis, ozaena refers to chronic nasal condition in which there occurs atrophy (shrinkage) of the nasal mucus lining and the underneath bone. In ozaena cases, its use is done when there occurs offensive-smelling pus discharge from the nose.

Key Indicating Features

Offensive nasal discharge

Atrophic rhinitis with offensive pus discharge from the nose

Decay of nasal bones

7. Throat (Globus Hystericus, Burning, Tenderness)

Asafoetida is also recommended for managing problems related to the throat. Firstly, it is the main medicine for treating globus hystericus. It refers to sensation of a lump lodged in the throat which is actually not present. Persons needing this medicine feel a pressure in the throat as if some lump is rising in the throat from the stomach or food pipe and has to be swallowed frequently. Secondly, it can manage well burning sensation in pharynx. Burning is followed by soreness. Lastly, it is used to manage tenderness in throat felt while swallowing.

Key Indicating Features

Globus Hystericus

Tenderness in throat felt when swallowing

Modalities

Worsening factors: Complaints get worse at night, during rest, from warm applications, when sitting and after eating / drinking

Relieving factors: Complaints get better in open air

Dosage

Its use can be done in both low and high potencies. The potency and repetition varies from case to case depending on the type and duration of complaint. In general, low potencies can be repeated often while high potencies should not be repeated frequently.

Relationship with Other Remedies

Antidoted by: Causticum, Camphor, China and Pulsatilla

It antidotes: China and Merc Sol

Followed well by: China, Merc Sol and Pulsatilla