Allium Cepa

• Botanical Name(s): Allium Cepa

• Popular Name(s): Perutile, Sweet Sandwich, Noordhollandse Bloedrode and Catawissa onion

• Parts Used: The fresh and dried bulbs are used as well as the fresh juice.

• Habitat: Onions are found in open, sunny areas throughout the temperate regions.

• Description: The onion is a hardy biennial with a bulb and hollow leaves. Green-white flowers are produced in summer.

Uses: It is often used for minor digestive disturbances and is also used for bronchial and gastric infections. Furthermore it also shows good results in preventing age-related changes in blood vessels - arteriosclerosis, as well as to treat loss of appetite. These are used for wounds and scars as well.

According to the Greek historian Herodotus, nine tons of gold was spent buying onions to feed the builders of the pyramids, so popular was this vegetable in ancient Egypt. Indeed, much to the amusement of the conquering Romans, the Egyptians even offered the bulb as a sacrifice. In the later Middle Ages the onion-probably because of its strong smell- was used as a charm against evil spirits and the plague. Sulfur compounds give onions (and garlic) their sharp flavor and aroma, which folk healers thought were indications that the juice of the plant could prevent infection. Some modern herbals state that applications of onion will remove warts and prevent acne. They recommend an onion syrup as an expectorant. Onions are also held to be diuretic and to reduce high blood pressure. Certainly the onion is a superlative tonic, since it is rich in vitamins, including B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), and C. Onion boasts a long list of medicinal actions - diuretic, antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, expectorant, and antirheumatic. Onion is also beneficial to the circulation. Onions are taken the world over for colds, flu, and coughs. Like garlic, onion offsets tendencies to angina, arteriosclerosis, and heart attack. Onion is also useful in preventing oral infection and tooth decay. The warmed juice can be dropped into the ear for earache, and baked onion is used as a poultice to drain pus from sores. Onion has a longstanding reputation as an aphrodisiac, and it is also used cosmetically to stimulate hair growth.

Other medical uses - Homeopathy, Altitude sickness, Breast cancer, Glue ear, Viral infection.