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COPYRIGHT 2005 International Medical News Group
Onions--along with other popular edible botanicals, such as garlic, chives, leeks, scallions, and shallots-belong to the lily (Allium cepa) family. Numerous varieties of onions are cultivated worldwide. This aromatic bulb has also been used by traditional Chinese medicine and ayurveda for thousands of years.
Onion extract is a common ingredient in skin care products. But inclusion in topical products does not necessarily translate into efficacy. The extract's status as an included ingredient might be considered cosmetic, so to speak, and it is somewhat more controversial than other botanicals. It is used in cosmeceuticals and in medications in the clinical setting.
The antimicrobial effects of onion have been well accepted for many years (Int. J. Dermatol. 1980;19:285-7), but a fair number of physicians doubt its efficacy in skin care products. Those authors cite the dearth of proven efficacy for one of the more popular onion extract creams, Mederma, for instance (Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 2002; 110:177-83, discussion 184-6; Arch. Dermatol. 1998;134:1512-4). Nevertheless, such products are used with increasing frequency for treating hypertrophic scars and keloids.
Although longitudinal data for specific products may not be available, onion extract has been studied for at least the past 25 years.
Anti-Inflammatory Action
In a double-blind study of six atopic and six nonatopic adult volunteers, alcohol/onion extract (5% ethanol) was injected simultaneously with 20 IU and 200 IU of rabbit antihuman IgE intradermally. Resultant flares were...
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