The effect of aqueous extract of Allium sativum on phospatases activity in albino rats was investigated. Twelve rats were randomly grouped into four where rats in B, C and D groups were treated daily with oral administration of aqueous extract of Allium sativum at 50mg/kg, 100mg/kg and 150mg/kg body weight respectively for two weeks. The control group A received no treatment. The results showed...

Plants of the Allium genus, for example garlic and onion, are relatively odourless as long as they are intact. But if they are crushed or cut, a bunch of strong aromas are released. This is the result of a reaction between the enzyme alliinase and its substrates, alk(en)yl cysteine derivatives, probably as a defence against pests (Ellmore et al., 1994; Ankri et al., 1999). This occurs after cel...

Allium vegetables have been employed for a long time in traditional medical practice to treat a variety of diseases. Onion (Allium cepa L.), one of the representative Allium vegetables, has been used for centuries for its pungency, flavoring value, and medicinal properties. The bulb of onion is used medicinally and has been consumed as seasoning food for many centuries (Sengupta et al., 2004). ...

Antimicrobial activity of different concentrations (50, 100, 200, 300 and 500ml/l) of essential oil extracts of three type of onions (green, yellow and red) and garlic against two bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmomella Enteritidis, and three fungi, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium cyclopium and Fusarium oxysporum, was investigated. The essential oil (EO) extracts of these Allium plants (garl...

A new black fly species, Simulium (Gomphostilbia) cauveryense sp. n., is described based on adult female, adult male, pupal and larval specimens collected from Kushalanagar, Karnataka, South India. This new species is placed in the decuplum subgroup of the batoense species-group within the subgenus Gomphostilbia. Keys to the species of the subgenus Gomphostilbia reported from India are provided...

The value of the dung of game animals as a larval habitat for Culicoides species was briefly investigated in 1973/74 in the Kruger National Park, Transvaal, Republic of South Africa. A total of 4 species in the subgenus Avaritia was reared, 3 from elephant dung, 2 from zebra dung and 1 from the dung of buffalo. These early studies have recently led to more intensive rearing and a better underst...

Aedes nummatus Edwards is redescribed and the adult habitus, female and male genitalia and larva are illustrated. Aedes pseudonummatus, new species, is described and the female habitus and genitalia are illustrated. These 2 species are placed in the subgenus Diceromyia Theobald, nuTfbrr&atuS being transferred from the subgenus Aedimorphus Theobald. A map shows the distribution of the above 2 sp...

Garlic, Alliumsativum, is broadly used around the world for its numerous culinary and medicinal uses. Wild garlic, Allium vineale, has been used as a substitute for garlic, both in food as well as in herbal medicine. The present study investigated the chemical compositions of A. sativum and A. vineale essential oils. The essential oils from the bulbs of A. sativum, cultivated in Spain, were obt...

The third known species of the Afrotropical subgenus Samba s. str. is described based upon eight females. This is the northernmost and also the most arid habitat record for the genus. Images are provided of the habitus and diagnostic features for the species as well as the subgenus and some notes on floral hosts and habitat are provided. The species is added to a morphology-based phylogeny for ...

The subgenus Miwacrepidius of the genus Hemicrepidius is represented by a monotypic species, H. (M.) subcyaneus (Motschulsky 1866) from Japan, and no other congener of the subgenus has been known until now. However, three female specimens of a novel species belonging to this subgenus were recently collected from the Republic of Korea. To delimitate the species boundary of the new species compar...