Table 2.
Protective effects of onion and its main constituents against industrial chemicals induced toxicity
| Agent | Type of toxicity | Type of study | Study design and dose of garlic/garlic component evaluated | Effect demonstrated | References | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acrylamide | Hepatotoxicity | In-vitro, Bolti fish (Tilapia nilotica) liver cells | Onion peel powder | Direct ROS scavenging activity | (16) | ||||
| Aluminum | neurotoxicity | In-vivo, male albino rats | Quercetin (100 mg/kg, 2 months, p.o.) | significant reduction in free radical concentration and induction of the activity and gene expression of the brain antioxidant enzymes | (46) | ||||
| Aluminum | neurotoxicity | In-vitro, Swiss albino male mice | Onion hydroethanolic extract (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg/day, 2 months, p.o.) | A. cepa reduced aluminium deposition in the brain, which could be the major mechanism responsible for its neuroprotective potential besides inhibiting the ROS production | (45) | ||||
| Arsenic | Hepatotoxicity, neurotoxicity | In-vitro, Adult female Swiss albino rats | Liposomal quercetin (2.71 mg /kg BW, twice a week for 4 months, S.C.) | Liposomal quercetin reduce arsenic deposition in the brain and liver | (48) | ||||
| Carbon tetrachloride | Nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity | In-vitro, rats | hydro-acetone phenolic-rich extract of red onion peels (50 and 100 mg/kg/rat, 17 days, p.o) | The extract possesses mainly various phenolic phytochemicals which can diminish the free radicals-induced oxidative stress | (49) | ||||
| Diesel exhaust particles | reproductive toxicity | In-vivo, BALB/c male mice | freeze-dried onion powder, 0.5% w/w of the daily diet, 5 weeks, p.o) | effects depend on the aryl hydrocarbon receptors antagonistic function | (4) | ||||
| Ethanol | Hepatotoxicity | In-vivo, Male Sprague-Dawley rats | Onion wine extract (1 mL/d, 6 weeks, p.o.) | Ameliorate ethanol-induced fatty liver by lowering hepatic and blood lipid levels | (11) | ||||
| Ethanol | Hepatotoxicity | In-vivo, male C57BL/6 mice | Fisetin (5 mg/kg, 8 consecutive days, p.o.) | Restored the alcohol-induced histological alterations, antioxidants defenses, NF-κB expression and stabilized the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) activity in the liver tissue | (1) | ||||
| Benzopyrene | Gastrointestinal toxicity | In-vivo, female A/J mice | Allyl methyl trisulfide (AMT), allyl methyl disulfide (AMD), diallyl trisulfide (DAT), and diallyl sulfide (DAS) | Induced increased glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity | (17) | ||||
| Cadmium | Reproductive toxicity | In-vivo, Adult male albino Wistar rats | Onion extract (0.5 mL/100 g BW/day, 7 days, p.o.) | Reducing lipid peroxidation and increasing the antioxidant defense mechanism. | (19) | ||||
| Cadmium | Cardiac toxicity | In-vivo, male Sprague-Dawley rats | Onion extract (1 mL, 30 days, p.o.). | Possibly through antioxidant and anti-apoptotic activity. | (18) | ||||
| Cadmium | Hepatotoxicity | In-vivo, Adult male albino Wistar rats | Onion extract (0.5 mL/100 g BW/day, 7 days, p.o.) | Reduced lipid peroxidation and enhanced antioxidant defense system. | (55) | ||||
| Cadmium | Reproductive toxicity | In-vivo, Adult male albino Wistar rats | Onion extract (0.5 mL/100 g BW/day, 7 days, p.o.) | Enhancement of antioxidant status. | (56) | ||||
| Cadmium | Nephrotoxicity | In-vivo, Adult male albino Wistar rats | Onion extract (0.5 mL /100 g BW/day, 7 days, p.o.) | Protective effects via the reduction in LPO and enhanced antioxidant defense. | (8) | ||||
| Cadmium | Hepatotoxicity, cardiovascular toxicity | In-vivo, male Wistar rats | Onion extract (1 mL/100 g BW, 8 weeks, p.o.) | Onion extract protected against Cd-induced atherosclerotic condition via a mechanism dependent on lipid peroxidation but not plasma testosterone level | (57) | ||||
| Cadmium | Reproductive toxicity | In-vivo, Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats | 1 Onion extract (mL/100 g BW, 8 weeks, p.o.) | Onion extract attenuated the derangement of lipid peroxidation profile in testicular tissues caused by CdSO4 exposure |
(54) | ||||
| Cadmium | Cell toxicity | In-vitro, yeast strain NCPF 3178 | Onion skin extract | Onion skin extract protected yeast cells from the occurrence of oxidative stress induced by cadmium | (58) | ||||
| Cyanide | Nephrotoxicity | In-vivo, rats | Onion (600 and 300 mg/kg BW/day) | Reduced lipid peroxidation in the kidney and increased antioxidant status | (9) | ||||
| formaldehyde | Nephrotoxicity | In-vivo | Hydro-alcoholic extract of onion (5, 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg/day14 days, p.o.) | Reduced lipid peroxidation in the kidney and increased antioxidant status | (10) | ||||
| Hypochlorous acid | Hemotoxicity | In-vivo, human erythrocytes | Onion extract | Protective effects against oxidative damage. | (59) | ||||
| Heterocyclic aromatic amines | Genotoxicity | In-vitro, immortal mammalian cells | Onion juice | By the inhibition of activating enzymes (CYP enzymes) | (60) | ||||
| Hydrogen peroxide | Hepatotoxicity | In-vitro, WB-F344 rat liver epithelial cells | Onion flesh extract | Antioxidant activities | (61) | ||||
| N-nitrosamines | Nephrotoxicity | In-vitro, Vero cells (African green monkey kidney cells) | Onion Aqueous extracts | Antioxidant activities | (65) | ||||
| Lead | Hepatotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, and nephron toxicity | In-vivo, Male Sprague-Dawley albino rats | Polar fraction of onion oil (100 mg/kg/BW, 1 month, p.o.) | Antioxidant activities | (63) | ||||