N -nitroso compounds, such as N -nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA), can be formed by the reaction of secundary amines with nitrosating agents, and are suspected to be involved in tumors in humans. NDEA has been considered a weak carcinogen in genotoxic assays probably due to the inefficient nitrosamine activation system that is used and/or to the efficient repair system. In this work, we evaluated the...

The effect of boron on the mitotic index of Allium cepa root meristematic cells were investigated. By using the growth inhibition test LD50 value was determined first and then different doses of varied concentrations of boron were introduced to onion tuber roots. Distilled water was used as control. Since Allium cepa cell cycle is 24 hours, application process was carried out at 12, 24 and 48 h...

Illicium verum (badiane or star anise), Crataegus oxyacantha ssp monogyna (hawthorn) and Allium cepa (onion), have traditionnally been used as medicinal plants in Algeria. This study showed that the outer layer of onion is rich in flavonols with contents of 103 ± 7.90 µg/g DW (red variety) and 17.3 ± 0.69 µg/gDW (white variety). We also determined flavonols contents of 14.3 ± 0.21 µg/g 1.65 ± 0...

Introduction: Allium cepa is a biological material of great importance for mutagenicity tests, due to the simplicity of its use in testing, the fast growth of its roots, and the response of genetic material to the presence of substances with cytotoxic and genotoxic potential. Method: The Allium test model by using the onion seed (Alium cepa L.) without the use of pesticides or any other chemica...

In India, agricultural soil has been deteriorated by various on-going practices involving application of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and effluents. Presently, Amritsar (Punjab), an agricultural land, is undergoing rigorous cultivation of wheat and rice crops which consequently increased the application of chemical pesticides and fertilizers for high yield. These agricultural practices are ...

The spatial distribution of organosulphur compounds throughout the onion ( Allium cepa L.) plant body during reproduction is of ecological and horticultural interest. These secondary metabolites are associated with both pest resistance and many of the vegetable’s culinary and medicinal properties, including the ability to inhibit platelet aggregation. Inhibition of platelet aggregation can be o...

Pogostemon auricularius is an aromatic herb belonging to the family Lamiaceae. Objectives: In the present study we have utilized the Allium cepa root tip meristem model to evaluate the cytotoxic and antimitotic potential of P. auricularius. Methods: The roots of Allium cepa were exposed to different concentrations of the aqueous leaf extracts (0.01%, 0.05%, 0.1% and 0.5%), for four different ti...

Here, we report a comparative study of the phytochemical profile and the biological activity of two onion extracts, namely Allium cepa L. and Allium × cornutum (Clementi ex Visiani 1842), members of the family Amaryllidaceae. The identification of flavonoids and anthocyanins, and their individual quantities, was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The potency of both ex...