Onion compounds and traditional uses reviewed
What it found
Onion extracts and its compounds have shown a wide range of biological activities, but most research so far has been done in lab tests rather than in people or animals.
What they found
Studies in people and animals
Range of activities
Onion extracts and compounds showed antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperlipidemic, anticancer, aphrodisiac, cardioprotective and neuroprotective activities.
Other findings
Traditional medicine uses
Onion has a long history of use as a traditional medicine for managing infectious, inflammatory, respiratory, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and erectile dysfunction.
Compounds identified
More than 400 compounds have been identified in onion, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, amino acids, peptides, saponins and fatty acids.
Research type
Current research mainly documents ethnic pharmacology and consists mostly of lab studies, with relatively limited animal and clinical studies.
Food industry uses
Besides its main medicinal uses, onion has found various applications in the functional food industry.
What the authors conclude
“Extensive literature analysis reveals that onion extracts and bioactive constituents possess diverse pharmacological activities that can be beneficial for treating various diseases.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say onion extracts and bioactive constituents have diverse pharmacological activities that can be beneficial for treating various diseases.
- They advise that future investigations should prioritise and expand the scope of in vivo and clinical research.
- They strongly recommend directing further research towards toxicity studies and quality control of the plant.
How it was done
Onion has been valued for its medicinal properties since ancient times, but recent data pulling together its chemistry, traditional uses, biological features and toxicity was scarce.
The authors gathered information from books, scientific databases including Science Direct, Wiley, PubMed and Google Scholar, and other domestic and foreign literature.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- Most of the research so far has been done in lab tests, not in people.
- The review cannot show that onion or its compounds treat any disease in people.
- It cannot show what dose or form might be needed for any effect in people.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- Declaration of competing interest None.
- Authors work at
- Alexandria University, Egypt
The paper
- Title
- An ethnopharmacological, phytochemical, and pharmacological overview of onion (Allium cepa L.)
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Elattar MM, Darwish RS, Hammoda HM, Dawood HM (2024). An ethnopharmacological, phytochemical, and pharmacological overview of onion (Allium cepa L.). Journal of ethnopharmacology. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2024.117779PubMed 38262524DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error