Sagapenum

Sagapenum (Greek σᾰγάπηνον,^[1] σικβινίτζα (Du Cange),^[2] σεραπίων;^[3] Arabic sakbīnadj;^[4] Latin sagapenum,^[5] sagapium,^[3] seraphinum (Pharm. Witenbergica)^[2]) is a historical plant from Media, identified with Ferula persica^[1][3] and Ferula szowitziana.^[4]

Sagapenum resin

History

Pliny (Historia Naturalis 12.126, 19.167, 20.197) holds that sagapenum is similar to ammoniacum, and mentions its use in adultering laser.^[5]

According to Dioscorides (De materia medica 3.85, 95), sagapenum smells like silphium and galbanum, and has expectorant, topical, anti-convulsant, and abortifacient properties.^[6]