Bitter and Sweet Ferula assa-foetida L. Essential oil Composition from Iran and its Comparison with Ferula assa-foetida L. used in India

Abstract:The gum like exude of Ferula assa-foetida extensively application as flavor in Indian vegetarian cooking, preparing kind of fishes and sauce in India. Ferula assa-foetida has several medicinal properties including anthelmintic, sedative, expectorant, antiseptic, laxative, carminative, analgesic, antispasmodic, and treating asthma and paralysis. Asafetida has two kinds, bitter and sweet. In this study Iranian bitter and sweet Asafetida and Asafetida consumed in India is compared in terms of the type and composition of essential oil. The essential oil was isolated through hydro-distillation for three hours by Clevenger, then its chemical composition was analyzed using GC and GC/MS. Thirty six compounds were identify bitter Asafetida in essential oil representing 94.93% of the total components. The major components were reported Bis (1-methyl–thio) propyl disulfide (29.68%), (Z)-1–propenyl sec–butyl disulfide (19.34%), (E)-1–propenyl sec–butyl disulfide (15.73%), ?-pinene (8.15%), Z-B-Ocimene (6.09%). 10-epi–?– Eudesmol (3.99%) and 4-epi-cis-Dihydroagarofuran (3.11%). Twenty two compounds were identified sweet Asafetida in essential oil. It was included 94.05% of the total components. (E)-1–propenyl sec–butyl disulfide (30.45%), 1- (propylthio)-propyl propyl disulfan (22.68%), %), (Z)-1–propenyl sec–butyl disulfide (18.68%), Tetrahydro-2-ethyl thiophen (7.14%), Bis (1-methyl–thio) propyl disulfide (5.07%) and Methyl tert-butyl sulfide (3.94%) are presented as major components. Twenty two compounds were identified in Asafetida in essential oil consumed in India which included 99.91% of compounds. Bis (1-methyl–thio) propyl disulfide was the major component (44.43%), then (E)-1–propenyl sec–butyl disulfide (25.73%), (Z)-1–propenyl sec–butyl disulfide (19.71%) and 1–propenyl sec–butyl disulfide (4.16%) were the other main compounds.