Onions – Allium cepa L.

Family Liliaceae – Liliaceae

Description of the medicinal plant onions

Perennial herb. Bulb splyusnutookruglaya or spherical, oblong yellow-brown, reddish or purple shell and the bearded root. Stem straight, 30-80 cm hollow, fleshy. Leaves 4-9, priosnovnyh, tubular and tapered at the tip. Flowers are numerous, umbellate inflorescence form at the top of the flower arrows, sometimes mixed with bulbils. Perianth consists of 6 leaves, oblong, stupid, white with green veins, Fruit spherical capsule. Black Seeds, triangular. Blooms in July-August.

Spread onions – widely grown as a vegetable. Cultural views comes from central and western India.

Vegetable raw materials – onion.

The content of active substances in the bulb onions

Essential oils (0,005-0.15%) цikloalliin, metilalliin, propilalliin, tiopropional, rhobinine, which, quercetin derivatives, floroglutsinovye derivatives, Peptides, protokatehinovaya acid, ferulic acid, amino acids, Other organic acids, carbohydrates, pectin, plant hormone.

Onions are rich in vitamin C. (to 33 mg%) and vitamin B1 (to 60 mg%).

The main therapeutic effect of onions

Antiateromatoznoe, improves digestion.

Experimental and clinical data action onions

The researchers studied the effect of spirtovodnoy drawing a bow on the development of experimental atherosclerosis in rabbits, caused by their feeding cholesterol. Animals, receiving only cholesterol, at the end of the third and beginning of the fourth month of cholesterol in the blood has reached 900-1500 mg%; the autopsy of these animals showed a deep infantrymen entered atherosclerotic changes in the blood vessels.

Animals, that simultaneously with cholesterol and spirtovodnuyu extract obtained from the seeds of onion, Cholesterol in the blood reached only 140-272 mg%, and atherosclerotic changes in the aorta and large vessels were significantly more poorly expressed.

Researchers also found in healthy adult males significant effect of the juice 50 g onion, ingestable in a single dose, protecting from coming in the absorption 100 g oil increase serum cholesterol and fibrinogen in plasma, as well as by reducing the time of coagulation and fibrinolytic activity. According to scientists, the active principle, like garlic, It is an essential oil, containing disulfides. Also, there was a pronounced hypolipidemic effect of onions in rabbits, receiving food sugar and emphasized the fibrinolytic action of onion. The juice of the bulbs, stems, onion leaves in experiments on anesthetized cats did not have a hypotensive action.

Studies have not established antimicrobial action of onion. The literature reports, that the bow has antitrihomonadnyh action.

Fresh Onions stimulates the appetite, It increases the secretion of digestive juices and thus improves digestion and promotes a good absorption of nutrients. It has a diuretic effect, and, but given, that there are some dangers in liver disease, kidney and heart, use it as an adjunct diuretic to eliminate possible after a detailed medical examination in the presence of some of these diseases. Onions - a good remedy for deficiency of vitamins C and B (It is also reported and choleretic action onion). Proven presence in port gipoglikemičeskogo principles. Due to the action of hypoglycemic and antiateromatoznomu onion product is particularly suitable for inclusion in the diet of diabetics food, combined with atherosclerosis.

The use of onions in folk medicine

In folk medicine, the onion is used as antidiabetic agent, as an anthelmintic, externally for bruises, stings of bees and wasps and to speed up the "maturation” abscesses, if frostbite and fresh burns, vesnushek against the person, as well as at a cold.

Adverse effects have not been established, but because of the possibility irritate, it should be avoided in case of kidney and liver.

Dosing onions in folk medicine

• For the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis - a mixture of equal parts of fresh onion juice and honey - take one teaspoon 3 4 once a day;
• Atherosclerosis, as a diuretic, in diabetes and to improve digestion: 2-3 Pour chopped onions 2 chaynыmy teplovatoy cups water, stand 7-8 hours, strain and drink the infusion of a coffee cup 3 times a day before meals;
• To accelerate the maturation abscesses used slurry from the bow with milk or baked onions, which is applied to the abscess;
• Cough and as an expectorant eat onions with honey, frying onion or boiled in milk;
• Fresh slurry from the bow has a beneficial effect on limb frostbite and fresh, of mild burns;
• Fresh onion juice treat sores on the oral mucosa;
• Wrapped in gauze fresh slurry from the bow faster cleaning of purulent wounds and ulcers and helps heal them;
• In influenza using swabs from the fresh leaves of onion gruel, that invest in the nose;
• In the presence of intestinal worms - chopped onion infuse overnight in a glass of water and drink the extract on an empty stomach (3-4 days);

Preparations archery:

• Allilchep (Allilchep) - Is used for intestinal atony, colitis with a tendency to constipation, in atherosclerosis;
• Allilglicer (Allilglycer) - For the topical treatment trihomonadnyh obesity.