The price of each kilo of organic hing whole is influenced by the parameters that affect its purity, species, and number of active ingredients.
In this article, while examining these parameters, I will also provide a scientific and complete introduction to the productive plant and Hing gum.
Note: the phrase "Asafoetida plant" is not correct; because "Asafoetida (Hing)" is the name of the gum resin that is extracted from the production plant, in this article you will get to know both main species of this plant.
But in this article, to make the content easier to read, instead of writing the phrase "Asafoetida (Hing) producing plant", we have written "Asafoetida (Hing) plant", so wherever you see the phrase "Asafoetida (Hing) plant" or "Asafoetida (Hing) is a plant that...", it means the plant from which Asafoetida (Hing) resin is extracted.
Asafoetida (Hing) resin is made in the leaves of the production plant and is transferred to the root, which oozes out by cutting the root.
Hing resin has many uses in modern medicine, and you will get to know some of them in this article.
Hing is a clear, colorless or white, or light yellow or brown liquid with a very bad smell, which oxidizes quickly in front of the air.
On average, each Asafoetida plant has between 20 and 40 grams of resin, and a lot of valuable medicinal Compounds are obtained from its resin, which, unfortunately, is exported to other countries in raw form due to the lack of processing industries in Iran.
Asafoetida (Hing) plant is a perennial plant that has a very wide distribution in Iran and has been considered one of the important medicinal and industrial plants of Iran for many years ago.
Asafoetida resin is used medicinally as an antispasmodic in the following cases:
- Cleanse digestive intestinal parasites
- Carminative
- Expectorant
Currently, in Iran, the major importance of Hing in terms of industrial and economic is due to its export value.
The amount of Hing extracted from each productive plant species can vary under the influence of the following parameters:
- The age of the plant, the time to start cutting to extract Hing (Heeng)
- The method used to cut the plant stump
- The number of cuts during the Hing extraction period
The price of wholesale Hing in 2023
The price of Hing in Iran follows certain parameters, which I will introduce you to the most important ones below:
- Type of Raw Hing (sweet or bitter)
- The area of the Asafoetida plant from which Raw organic Hing is oozed or extracted (stem or stump).
- Cultivation pattern
- The exact time of starting to cutting the stump of the Asafoetida plant
- The coordinates where Hing is extracted from
- Degree of purity (cleanliness and the absence of impurities that may have penetrated the Hing due to the wind flow)
What is the difference between the Hing that oozes from the stem and the Hing that is extracted from the plant stump?
The resin that oozes from the stem of the Asafoetida plant is called "Tear Hing".
Tear Hing can be considered an early-yielding product of the Asafoetida plant.
Tear Hing is oozed due to the following:
- The impact of pebbles on the stem of the Asafoetida plant during strong winds, in the seasons, when the resin flows in the stem of the plant.
- Insect bites
- Making tiny cuts with the help of the cutter on the stem of the Asafoetida plant
Asafoetida resin quickly oxidizes and hardens after leaving the stem exposed to air.
Tear Hing is expensive because it has the least amount of impurity in it. The high rate of oxidation prevents many impurities from penetrating this resin while it is still in a liquid state.
The amount of Tear Hing is not so high compared to the Hing extracted from the plant stump.
The best time to collect the Tear Hing, which has a significant price, is usually the last year of the Asafoetida plant, which produces stems; because it is a little difficult to collect the Tear Hing from plants on the ground in the early life of them.
Types of main Raw Hing for export in Iran
- Ferula assa-foetida
- Ferula foetida
The taste of bitter and sweet Hing
It may raise this question that does bitter Hing taste bitter and sweet Hing taste sweet?
In response, I must say No.
The taste of sweet Hing: spicy. According to experience, Tabas (City in Iran) sweet Hing is the hottest type of sweet Hing.
The taste of Bitter Hing: bitter with a spicy an aftertaste.
What is Hing (Asafoetida)?
Common English names:
- Asafoetida
- Asafetida
- Anghoza (Most Pakistani businessmen use this phrase)
- Food of the Gods
Botanical specifications
Asafoetida is a self-pollinating plant; its mean, it is a plant whose pistil is fertilized with the pollen of the same plant.
Asafoetida plant is a hairy perennial herb, bush or shrub, and monocarpic.
Root, bush and stem of the Asafoetida plant - Phaidyme
Asafoetida plant in the fifth or sixth year, or according to some researchers, enters the flowering stage after 6 to 10 years, depending on the growing conditions and then its growing period ends.
In the first 5 years, the Asafoetida (Hing) plant only has many leaves located on the ground. Gradually from among its leaves which generally have a dusty appearance; a straight, almost cylindrical, and fleshy stem emerges that reaches a height of more than 1 to 2 meters.
Hing flowers are hermaphrodites, of course, there are male and female flowers in the plant.
The diameter of the root of this plant varies depending on the age of the plant and is about 7 to 15 cm, and it usually sinks to a depth of 30 to 40 cm in the soil and is very important in soil protection.
The fruit of the Asafoetida plant schizocarp (two achenes) is dark brown and has a pungent smell. Two achenes are separated from each other at the time of ripening and each turns into a seed and falls.
The only way to renew the Hing (Asafoetida) plant naturally is through seeds.
The Chemical elements in Hing plant
Based on the research conducted on the number of elements in the Hing plant, it was found that the following elements are present in this plant to a significant extent.
Chemical composition of Hing
You can see the result of the analysis of the high-quality Hing in the following table:
- Resin: 65%
- Gum: 25%
- Essential oil: 3 - 7%
- Free Ferulic: 1.28%
- Vanillin: A little bit
- Water: A little bit
Most of the effective compounds of Hing are Coumarin and Disulfide, and the pungent smell of Hing (Heeng) is due to these sulfur compounds.
Therapeutic Uses of Hing
More than 100 types of medicines and 60 types of herbicides are obtained from Pure Hing.
Therefore, wholesale Hing, especially in export markets, is not a difficult task.
The benefits of Hing - Phaidyme
Hing has an Anticonvulsant, Emmenagogue and Anthelmintic effect.
Hing is also used to cure the following diseases:
- Neurological diseases of the respiratory system
- Spasm of the larynx and digestive system
- Asthma and constipation relief
The effect of Hing on the smooth muscles of the digestive tract showed that this substance can neutralize the smooth muscle contractions caused by the effect of histamine.
It has been reported that Asafoetida resin prevents stomach ulcers caused by aspirin consumption. This prevention is due to the stimulation of Mucin secretion in the stomach rather than the reduction of acid and Pepsin production.
The resin extracted from the stem and stump of the Asafoetida plant in the laboratory environment inhibits the growth of the protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis.
In a study, the effect of Asafoetida resin on the contractions of the isolated tissue of guinea pigs caused by the effect of Acetylcholine, Histamine, and Potassium chloride was investigated and these results showed that:
«Asafoetida resin inhibits the contractions caused by the above substances on the smooth muscle, which is also effective in inhibition of high blood pressure.»
Farnesiferol is one of the important components of Asafoetida resin, which can be effective in inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factors. Inhibition of this growth factor cause inhibits cancer cells in proliferation, migration, invasion, vascular formation, and connective tissue production.
Administering a carcinogenic substance on the skin weakens the antioxidant system in skin cells and causes the formation of cancer cells. In these conditions; it is possible to rebuild the antioxidant system and prevent the skin cells from becoming cancerous by pre-treatment with Asafoetida (Hing).
The antimicrobial effect of Asafoetida resin on (Streptococcus pyogenes) and (S. pneumoniae) strains have been reported.
Asafoetida resin helps to control the Influenza A virus.
The use of Hing in veterinary medicine is approved for the preparation of Antiparasitic baths.
It is said that the people of Nepal use aqueous extract of Hing in their diet to treat intestinal worms.
Ethanol extract of Hing in appropriate concentration can be used to destroy cancer cells (HepG2) without harming normal cells.
Pure Hing, due to its antioxidant compounds, can reduce the amount of intracellular free radicals and also stimulate the synthesis and secretion of insulin or the hyperplasia of beta cells remaining in the pancreas.
Some compounds of Pure Hing cause:
- Increasing the amount of Glucose absorption
- Increasing the amount of Glucose absorption due to insulin stimulation
- Inhibition of Glucose absorption through inhibition of sodium‐dependent glucose transporters (SGLTs) in intestinal epithelial cells
Asafoetida gum resin had a significant effect in inhibiting the reproduction of Human Rhinoviruses.
In the investigation of the Antifungal properties of Asafoetida plant essential oil against 25 clinical isolates of Mucormycosis, the amount of 1.8 micrograms per milliliter of essential oil of this plant was reported to inhibit the growth of these fungi. They also concluded that:
«The extract of Asafoetida plant seeds has antifungal properties against saprophytic fungi such as species of Aspergillus, Fusarium, Drechslera, and Alternaria compared to the chemical antifungal drug (Ridomyl gold).»
In some cases, Asafoetida essential oil is used instead of Garlic Essential Oil, which is expensive.
Hing gum resin has a hypoglycemic effect. This effect is caused by the increase in the serum level of blood
insulin, which is probably caused by stimulating the synthesis and secretion of insulin and the hyperplasia of the remaining beta cells of the pancreas.
Hing extract has the following effects:
- A reducing effect on the intensity and duration of seizures
- Delays the onset of seizures
- It controls seizure variables
The effects mentioned above are based on the information available in the traditional medicine of Iran and India, the School of Western Herbal Medicine, as well as modern research that points to the Anti-epileptic and Anti-convulsant properties of the Asafoetida plant and its resin.
Pure Asafoetida (Hing) has extensive pharmacological effects, which I have mentioned in full in a separate article.
The very valuable properties of Hing, along with its prescription in traditional Iranian medicine for the treatment of special diseases, have caused the use of Hing to be considered in digestive disorders, cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
It should be noted that the use of this Oleo-gum resin as medicine for the prevention and treatment of many diseases requires clinical trials.
In Iran, the leaves of the sweet Asafoetida plant are used as vegetables.
Side effects of Hing
Oral consumption of Hing has not shown toxicity in adults, but it can cause poisoning in children.
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Reference: Phaidyme Company