Asafetida
Asafetida, or Asafoetida, a gum resin obtained from the roots of several perennial herbs native to Iran and Afghanistan. The resin is collected by cutting the tops of the thick, fleshy roots of these plants. It accumulates at the cut surface of the roots. Asafetida is used as a food flavoring in some areas of the Middle East. It is also used in medicine as an antispasmodic.
Asafetida is obtained from several members of the genus Ferula, particularly F.foetida and F. narthex. The plants belong to the parsley family, Umbelliferae.