Allium cepa Linn. (PALANDU)

Palandu is quoted by the Brihat Trayi texts. Some consider Grinjana as Lµohita Palandu (red onion). Chakrapani identified it as red onion (C.S.Ci. 17/128).

Botanical Description – It is an annual herb with bulb and white flowers. It is cultivated all over India. Onions are cultivated for food worldwide. There are many varieties. Most onion bulbs are white, yellow, or red. The green stems and leaves are hollow and can reach 3 ft (1 m) in height. The plants bear small flowers that are usually white or purple. The fleshy bulb that grows below the ground is used medicinally as well as for food.

Major Chemical Constituents– Cycloallin, quercetin, oleanolic acid etc.

Part Used– Bulb, seeds

Dosage– Juice 10-20 ml, seed powder 1-3 g.

Research–             

(1) The effect of onion juice and essential oil of onion on alimentary hyperlipaemia induced by feeding 100 g of butter was studied in 10 healthy subjects. Onion juice was found to have protective action against fat-induced increase in serum cholesterol and descrease in coagulation time and fibrinolytic activity (Bordia et al., 1974a).

(2) The ethyl ether extract (0.25 g/kg orally) of the onion juice had maximum hypoglycaemia activity both in the normal and alloxan rabbits. The hypoglycaemic effect was significant as that of tolbutamide in alloxan diabetic rabbits also. The hypoglycaemic action of the extract may be due to the increased insulin-like activity of plasma after the administration of the extract (Augusti, 1973).

(3) Administration of purified water-soluble extract (i.p.) to rabbit caused marked leucocytosis and counteracted the leucopenic side-effect of antitumor agent, nitromin, but accelerated antitumour effect of nitromin on Yoshida sarcoma, LD50  in mice 2.5 g/kg (Chem. Abstr. 1961, 55, 9643b).

(4) Chloroform fraction of plant extract showed broncho-dilatory activity (Ind. Drugs 1983, 20, 239).