Allium Cepa

Allium_cepa.jpg

NAME:  Allium cepa

FAMILY: Liliaceae

COMMON NAMES: Onion, bulb onion, common onion

LOCAL NAMES: Alubosa, Albasa, Yabase, Albasa gudaji

USEFUL PART(s):  Leaves, Bulb

GENERAL USES:

  • Onions serves as a food, cooked as vegetables or as ingredient for delicacies 

  • Onions are usually use in education to teach the use of a microscope for viewing  cell structure

 

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION

  • China

  • Egypt

  • Nigeria

  • England

  • India

  • Senegal

  • Mali

  • Burkina Faso

  • Ghana 

  • Kenya

WHY IS IT GREEN?

 Allium cepa medicinal values include:

  • Cough

  • Diuretic

  • Anthelmintics

  • Weak erection

  • Anti-tumour

  • boils

  • stings

  • Rubefacient

  • Throat infection

  • Headache

  • Asthma

FUNFUL FACT

  • Onions are biennial plants which has bluish-green leaves and its bulb at the base is encircle by fleshy modified leaves

  • They have a strong odour when cut and contain certain chemical substances which irritate the eyes.

  • Onions are toxic to some animals e.g. dog, cat, goat etc.

FURTHER READINGS

El-Aasr, M., Fujiwara, Y., Takeya, M., Ikeda, T., Tsukamoto, S., Ono, M., … Nohara, T. (2010). Onionin a from allium cepa inhibits macrophage activation. Journal of Natural Products, 73(7), 1306–1308. https://doi.org/10.1021/np100105u

Khanna, N., & Sharma, S. (2013). Allium Cepa Root Chromosomal Aberration Assay: A Review. Indian J. Pharm. Biol. Res, 1(3), 105–119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2008.06.004

Muñoz, D. M., & Guerrero, N. (2013). Allium test para evaluar el efecto citotóxico y genotóxico de extractos naturales en células meristemáticas de Allium cepa. Memorias, 11(19), 83–86.

Ozakca, D. U., & Silah, H. (2013). Genotoxicity effects of Flusilazole on the somatic cells of Allium cepa. Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology, 107(1), 38–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pestbp.2013.05.001

Özkara, A., Akyıl, D., Eren, Y., & Erdoğmuş, S. F. (2015). Potential cytotoxic effect of Anilofos by using Allium cepa assay. Cytotechnology, 67(5), 783–791. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10616-014-9716-1

Pobłocka-Olech, L., Głód, D., Zebrowska, M. E., Sznitowska, M., & Krauze-Baranowska, M. (2016). TLC determination of flavonoids from different cultivars of Allium cepa and Allium ascalonicum. Acta Pharmaceutica, 66(4), 543–554. https://doi.org/10.1515/acph-2016-0038

Qin, R., Ning, C., Björn, L. O., & Li, S. (2016). Proteomic analysis of Allium cepa var. agrogarum L. roots under copper stress. Plant and Soil, 401(1–2), 197–212. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-015-2741-9

Sari, M. U., Hartono, R., & Hakim, L. (2013). Sifat Antirayap Ekstrak Kulit Bawang Merah (Allium cepa). Jurnal USU, 139–145.

Setyadjit, & Sukasih, E. (2015). Effect of Addition of Filler on the Production of Shallot (Allium Cepa Var. Ascalonicum L.) Powder with Drum Dryer. Procedia Food Science, 3, 396–408. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profoo.2015.01.044

Surono, A. S. (2013). Antibakteri Ekstrak Etanol Umbi Lapis Bawang Merah (Allium cepa L.) Terhadap Pertumbuhan Staphylococcus aureus dan Escherichia coli. Jurnal Ilmiah Mahasiswa Universitas Surabaya, 2(1), 1–15.

Ye, C.-L., Dai, D.-H., & Hu, W.-L. (2013). Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the essential oil from onion (Allium cepa L.). Food Control, 30(1), 48–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2012.07.033