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Review
. 2021 Sep 11:2021:5554259.
doi: 10.1155/2021/5554259. eCollection 2021.

Effects of Allium cepa and Its Constituents on Respiratory and Allergic Disorders: A Comprehensive Review of Experimental and Clinical Evidence

Sima Beigoli  1 , Sepideh Behrouz  2   3 , Arghavan Memar Zia  2   3 , Seyyedeh Zahra Ghasemi  2   3 , Marzie Boskabady  4   5 , Narges Marefati  2   3 , Farzaneh Kianian  6 , Mohammad Reza Khazdair  7 , Hesham El-Seedi  8   9   10 , Mohammad Hosein Boskabady  2   3
Affiliations
Review

Effects of Allium cepa and Its Constituents on Respiratory and Allergic Disorders: A Comprehensive Review of Experimental and Clinical Evidence

Sima Beigoli et al. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. .

Abstract

The health benefits of Allium cepa (A. cepa) have been proclaimed for centuries. Various pharmacological and therapeutic effects on respiratory, allergic, and immunologic disorders are shown by A. cepa and its constituents. Flavonoids such as quercetin and kaempferol, alk(en)yl cysteine sulfoxides including S-methyl cysteine sulfoxide and S-propyl cysteine sulfoxide, cycloalliin, thiosulfinates, and sulfides are the main compounds of the plant. A. cepa displays broad-spectrum pharmacological activities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, and antidiabetic effects. Our objective in this review is to present the effects of A. cepa and its constituents on respiratory, allergic, and immunologic disorders. Different online databases were searched to find articles related to the effect of A. cepa extracts and its constituents on respiratory, allergic, and immunologic disorders until the end of December 2020 using keywords such as onion, A. cepa, constituents of A. cepa, therapeutic effects and pharmacological effects, and respiratory, allergic, and immunologic disorders. Extracts and constituents of A. cepa showed tracheal smooth muscle relaxant effects, indicating possible bronchodilator activities or relieving effects on obstructive respiratory diseases. In experimental animal models of different respiratory diseases, the preventive effect of various extracts and constituents of A. cepa was induced by their antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory effects. The preventive effects of the plant and its components on lung disorders induced by exposure to noxious agents as well as lung cancer, lung infection, and allergic and immunologic disorders were also indicated in the experimental and clinical studies. Therefore, this review may be considered a scientific basis for development of therapies using this plant, to improve respiratory, allergic, and immunologic disorders.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Chemical structure of the main constituents of A. cepa.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The possible mechanisms of the relaxant effect of A. cepa and its constituents on the tracheal smooth muscle.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The possible molecular mechanisms of the preventive effects of A. cepa and its constituents on respiratory, allergic, and immunologic disorders.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Experimental and clinical effects of A. cepa and its constituents on respiratory and allergic disorders.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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