Onion Bulb Extract Downregulates EGFR/ERK1/2/AKT Signaling Pathway and Synergizes With Steroids to Inhibit Allergic Inflammation

Treatment with onion bulb extract both prevents and reverses allergic inflammation in a murine model of asthma

CONTEXT

Asthma presents a global health challenge. The main pharmacotherapy is synthetic chemicals and biological-based drugs that are costly, and have significant side effects. In contrast, use of natural products, such as onion (Allium cepa L., Amaryllidaceae) in the treatment of airway diseases has increased world-wide because of their perceived efficacy and little safety concerns. However, their pharmacological actions remain largely uncharacterized.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated whether onion bulb extract (OBE) can (1) reverse established asthma phenotype (therapeutic treatment) and/or (2) prevent the development of the asthma phenotype, if given before the immunization process (preventative treatment).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Six groups of male Balb/c mice were established for the therapeutic (21 days) and five groups for the preventative (19 days) treatment protocols; including PBS and house dust mite (HDM)-challenged mice treated with vehicle or OBE (30, 60, and 100 mg/kg/i.p.). Airways inflammation was determined using cytology, histology, immunofluorescence, Western blot, and serum IgE.

RESULTS

Therapeutic (60 mg/kg/i.p.) and preventative (100 mg/kg/i.p.) OBE treatment resulted in down-regulation of HDM-induced airway cellular influx, histopathological changes and the increase in expression of pro-inflammatory signaling pathway EGFR, ERK1/2, AKT, pro-inflammatory cytokines and serum IgE.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Our data show that OBE is an effective anti-inflammatory agent with both therapeutic and preventative anti-asthma effects. These findings imply that onion/OBE may be used as an adjunct therapeutic agent in established asthma and/or to prevent development of allergic asthma. However, further studies to identify the active constituents, and demonstrate proof-of-concept in humans are needed.

Health-promoting foods and food crops of West-Africa origin: The bioactive compounds and immunomodulating potential

The rural communities of the sub-Sahara regions in Africa are rich in diverse indigenous culinary knowledge and foods, food crops, and condiments such as roots/tubers, cereal, legumes/pulses, locust beans, and green leafy vegetables. These food crops are rich in micronutrients and phytochemicals, which have the potentials to address hidden hunger as well as promote health when consumed. Some examples of these are fermented foods such as ogi and plants such as Vernonia amygdalina (bitter leaf), Zingiber officinales (garlic), Hibiscus sabdariffa (Roselle), and condiments. Food crops from West Africa contain numerous bioactive substances such as saponins, alkaloids, tannins, phenolics, flavonoids, and monoterpenoid chemicals among others. These bioresources have proven biological and pharmacological activities due to diverse mechanisms of action such as immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and antioxidant activities which made them suitable as candidates for nutraceuticals and pharma foods. This review seeks to explore the different processes such as fermentation applied during food preparation and food crops of West-African origin with health-promoting benefits. The different bioactive compounds present in such food or food crops are discussed extensively as well as the diverse application, especially regarding respiratory diseases. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The plants and herbs summarized here are more easily accessible and affordable by therapists and others having a passion for promising medicinal properties of African-origin plants.The mechanisms and unique metabolic potentials of African food crops discussed in this article will promote their applicability as a template molecule for novel drug discoveries in treatment strategies for emerging diseases. This compilation of antiviral plants will help clinicians and researchers bring new preventive strategies in combating COVID-19 like viral diseases, ultimately saving millions of affected people.

Effect of natural products use prior to infection with COVID-19 on disease severity and hospitalization: A self-reported cross-sectional survey study

Background: Managing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) using available resources is essential to reduce the health burden of disease. The severity of COVID-19 is affected by nutritional status. In this study the effect of natural product use prior to infection with COVID-19 on disease severity and hospitalization was explored.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Between March and July 2021, a self-administered survey was conducted in Jordan. Individuals who recovered from COVID-19 and were ≥18 years old were the study population. Study measures included the use of natural products, COVID-19 severity, and hospitalization status. A multivariate regression model was used for statistical analysis.

Results: The mean age (mean ± SD) of the study sample (n=2,148) was 40.25 ± 15.58 years old. Multivariate logistic regression showed that the regular intake of carnation (OR [0.56], CI [0.37–0.85]), onion (OR [0.69], CI [0.52–0.92]), lemon (OR [0.68], CI [0.51–0.90]), and citrus fruits (OR [0.66], CI [0.50–0.89]) before infection were associated with a substantial reduction in COVID-19 severity (P<0.01). Also, the consumption of carnation (OR [0.55], CI [0.34–0.88]), lemon (OR [0.57], CI [0.42–0.78]), and citrus fruits (OR [0.61], CI [0.44–0.84]) were associated with a significant decrease in the frequency of COVID-19-induced hospitalization (P<0.01).

Conclusions: Regular consumption of carnation, lemon, and citrus fruits before infection was associated with better outcomes for COVID-19. Studies on other populations are required to confirm these findings.

Recent Advances in Bioactive Compounds, Health Functions, and Safety Concerns of Onion (Allium cepa L.)

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is a common vegetable, widely consumed all over the world. Onion contains diverse phytochemicals, including organosulfur compounds, phenolic compounds, polysaccharides, and saponins. The phenolic and sulfur-containing compounds, including onionin A, cysteine sulfoxides, quercetin, and quercetin glucosides, are the major bioactive constituents of onion. Accumulated studies have revealed that onion and its bioactive compounds possess various health functions, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, anticancer, cardiovascular protective, neuroprotective, hepatorenal protective, respiratory protective, digestive system protective, reproductive protective, and immunomodulatory properties. Herein, the main bioactive compounds in onion are summarized, followed by intensively discussing its major health functions as well as relevant molecular mechanisms. Moreover, the potential safety concerns about onion contamination and the ways to mitigate these issues are also discussed. We hope that this paper can attract broader attention to onion and its bioactive compounds, which are promising ingredients in the development of functional foods and nutraceuticals for preventing and managing certain chronic diseases.