• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.7
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• pp.1075-1082
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• 2023

Objective: Animal feed companies and researchers are currently embarking on quests for feed additives that could combat the pathogens while promoting growth as well as maintaining quality products. The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of onion extracts on growth performance, carcass quality, and bone morphometrics of broiler chickens. Methods: A total number of 200 one-day-old unsexed Ross 308 broiler chicks were assigned to 5 treatment groups, replicated 4 times. Each replicate (pens) held 10 chickens in a completely randomized design. The experimental diets were then randomly allotted to the pens which act as experimental units. The isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diets were formulated by including onion extracts at 0, 5, 10, 15, or 25 g/kg in a complete broiler diet. Feed intake, and body weight, were recorded then used to calculate feed conversion ratio. At the end of the experiment (42 days), four chickens from each pen were randomly selected for slaughter for carcass, bone morphology and sensory evaluation. Results: Results showed that onion extract supplementation did not affect (p>0.05) growth performances and meat sensory evaluation. However, there was a significantly increased (p<0.05) meat shear force in groups receiving onion extracts dietary treatments. Furthermore, onion extracts improved (p<0.05) bone morphology of broiler chickens in terms of weight, diameter, calcium, and phosphorous contents. Conclusion: In conclusion, onion extracts can be safely included in a commercial broiler diet as a growth promoter without causing adverse effects on growth performance traits and carcass quality in chickens. Onion extract supplementation improved tibia bone growth and strength in broiler chickens.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.398-404
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• 2010

It is known that onions, or bioactive compounds therein, providehealth benefits. The present study was designed to investigate whether a concentrated onion extract lowered blood lipid levels in rats fed a high-fat diet. Initially, male Sprague-Dawley rats were housed singly in an environment in which temperature and light duration were controlled, and had free access to a nutritionally adequate AIN-93G diet and deionized water. After an acclimatization period, rats were weight-matched and assigned to one of the following five groups: 1) a control group, fed the AIN-93G diet mixed with 10% (w/v) lard and 0.7% (w/v) cholesterol to induce hyperlipidemia (control); 2) three experimental groups, fed the AIN-93G diet mixed with a high-fat source plus concentrated onion extract at three different levels (termed the low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose groups); and, 3) a placebo group, fed the AIN-93G diet with fats plus the same concentrated extract but devoid of onion-derived material. All five groups freely ingested their respective diets over 6 weeks. At 0, 3, and 6 weeks, blood samples were collected from the orbital sinus following overnight food deprivation. At 6 weeks, livers were collected. Both control and experimental groups continually gained body weight throughout the study. No significant differencein body weight gain was observed among groups. However, the serum concentrations of triglycerides, total cholesterol, and non HDL-cholesterol were significantly reduced by ingestion of concentrated onion extract. Also, the hepatic levels of total lipids and total fatty acids, especially C18:1 (oleic acid), were significantly decreased in rats fed a high level of concentrated onion extract, compared with the control and placebo groups. These results provide clear evidence that ingestion of a concentrated onion extract has a profound inhibitory effect on serum lipid levels in rats fed a high-fat diet. Our findings indicate that a concentrated onion extract may be used to alleviate hyperlipidemia by lowering serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.671-679
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• 2016

Extracts from spinach, cabbage, and onion are known to possess various instructive characteristics, including antioxidant and anti-inflammation activities. Spinach, cabbage, and onion are consumed worldwide and represent important sources of dietary phytochemicals with proven antioxidant properties, such as flavonoids and phenolic acids. Food-derived flavonoids and phenolic compounds are expected to be promising drugs for cancer. In the present study, we investigated the effects of methanol extracts of spinach, cabbage, and onion on cell proliferation and apoptosis in human gastric and breast cancer cells. Proliferation rates of AGS, MDA-MB-231, and SK-BR-3 cells were determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The methanol extracts of spinach, cabbage, and onion inhibited proliferation of cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. 4',6-Diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining revealed that chromatin condensation significantly increased compared with the control. In the results of MTT assay and DAPI staining, onion extract was the most effective in inhibiting cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis. To assess changes in protein expression level by onion extract, we identified Bax (pro-apoptotic), Bcl-2 (anti-apoptotic), and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) protein by western blot analysis. The expression of Bax and cleaved-PARP increased, whereas expression of Bcl-2 was decreased compared with the control. These results suggest that spinach, cabbage, and onion extracts suppressed growth of human gastric cancer AGS, human breast cancer MDA-MB-231, and SK-BR-3 cells through induction of apoptosis. Among the extracts, onion extract had stronger anti-cancer and apoptosis induction effects than spinach and cabbage extracts. Further, onion extract more effectively induced apoptosis of human gastric cancer cells than human breast cancer cells. Therefore, further studies are needed to determine the anti-cancer effects of onion extracts in vivo. Onion extract can be developed as a chemopreventive or therapeutic agent for gastric cancer.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.418-426
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• 2015

Total phenol contents, total flavonoid contents and antioxidant activity of 70% methanol, 70% ethanol and chloroform-methanol (CM, 2:1, v/v) extracts from onion (Allium cepa L.) peels were studied. The $IC_{50}$ values of DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical and ABTS [2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt] radical scavenging activity in 70% ethanol extract were remained to be lowest followed by 70% methanol extract and CM extract. And the total phenol content ($113.56{\pm}0.86mg\;CAE/g$), total flavonoid content (49.63 mg QE/g) and ferric reducing antioxidant power value were also found to be the highest. In contrast, 70% methanol extract possessed the strongest antioxidant activity by ${\beta}$-carotene bleaching assay. CM extract displayed the lowest antioxidant activity compared with other extracts. Onion peels exhibited strong antioxidant activity and abundant phytochemicals, which could be used in a various food products to add phytochemicals and promote good health.

• Food Engineering Progress
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.16-23
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• 2009

Onion juices supplemented with different concentrations of puffed red ginseng extract were fermented using Pediococcus pentosaceus KC-007 and their biologically functional properties were investigated. When onion juices were supplemented with puffed red ginseng extract at the concentration of 0.5, 1, 2, and 4% (v/v) each, viable cell number of lactic acid bacteria was the highest at 24 hr of fermentation in all samples. The titratable acidity increased as the fermentation proceeds irrespective of the added amount of red ginseng extract, and the pH of fermentation broth decreased until 36 hr of fermentation. The reducing sugar of fermentation broth decreased until 24 hr of fermentation and did not change thereafter. The electron donating ability and nitrite scavenging ability were highest when red ginseng extract was added at the concentration of more than 1% (w/v). The overall acceptance in sensory evaluation was the best when red ginseng extract was added at the concentration of 1% (w/v). From these results, it is confirmed that the optimum concentration of puffed red ginseng extract for the lactic acid fermentation of onion juice was 1% (w/v).

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.12
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• pp.1783-1789
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• 2010

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of 10 week onion extract supplementation on blood lipid profiles in borderline hypercholesterolemic participants. The study consisted of 10 males and 17 females aged $45.9{\pm}10.0$ years. At baseline, serum total cholesterol level was $228.6{\pm}4.1$ mg/dL (201~239 mg/dL). This study was designed as randomized single blind placebo controlled cross-over study. After 1 week wash-out period, subjects were randomized into two groups; they took onion extract (150 mL/1 pack, containing 30 mg quercetin) or placebo for 10 weeks. After 1 week wash-out period again, subjects took exchanged samples for another 10 weeks. The total-cholesterol ($226.7{\pm}4.6{\rightarrow}206.8{\pm}3.6$ mg/dL; p<0.01), LDL-cholesterol ($151.6{\pm}5.0{\rightarrow}127.1{\pm}4.1$ mg/dL; p<0.01) and atherogenic index (AI: $4.0{\pm}0.3{\rightarrow}3.4{\pm}0.2$; p<0.05) decreased significantly after 10 weeks of onion extracts supplementation, while there were no significant changes during placebo periods. The levels of HDL-cholesterol (onion extract: $46.5{\pm}2.0{\rightarrow}50.2{\pm}2.1$ mg/dL, placebo: $47.8{\pm}2.1{\rightarrow}50.1{\pm}2.4$ mg/dL), GOT (onion extract: $36.8{\pm}1.8{\rightarrow}32.3{\pm}1.8$ IU/L, placebo: $35.1{\pm}2.1{\rightarrow}32.8{\pm}2.0$ IU/L), and GPT (onion extract: $36.5{\pm}3.2{\rightarrow}32.9{\pm}1.8$ IU/L, placebo: $36.6{\pm}3.8{\rightarrow}33.8{\pm}2.8$ IU/L) showed no significant changes in both periods. These results indicate that the consumption of onion concentrated extracts exerts beneficial effects on dyslipidemia through the decrease of serum total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels in borderline hypercholestrolemic subjects. In conclusion, onion was useful as dietary therapy for hypercholestrolemia and adequate onion intake may help to prevent cardiovascular disease.

• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.133-133
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• 2004

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.158-162
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• 1999

A beverage was manufactured with onion extract for which onions were boiled with water and filtered. The concentration of cyclodextrin was studied to improve its quality in manufacturing the onion beverage and its antioxidative and antifatigue effect was investigated in vitro or in vivo. One percent of cyclodextrin was optimum concentration to prevent precipitation and to remove pungent taste and keep mild taste during storage at room temperature and 40$^{\circ}C$. Water extract of onion, used to manufacture onion beverage shown significant difference in antioxidative effect based on peroxide value and thiocyanate method. For the study of antifatigue, swimming performance of mice which fed with onion beverage and water extracts of onion and garlic for 2 weeks was investigated. The mice fed with onion beverage swam longer than those fed with water extract of onion and garlic.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.1000-1007
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• 2011

This study was conducted to determine the analgesic effect of onion and acanthopanax senticosus mixture extract using the rheumatoid arthritis rat model. Rheumatoid arthritis model was made by the intradermal injection of type II collagen emulsified. Rats were divided into four groups: (1) Sham group(n=5), (2) Control group(administered DW 3 $m{\ell}$/1 day after RA induced, n=7), (3) Experimental group I(administered Onion extractor 600 mg/3 $m{\ell}$/1 day after RA induced, n=7). (4) Experimental group III(administered Onion and Acanthopanax senticosus mixture extractor 600 mg/3 $m{\ell}$/1 day after RA induced, n=7). After that, we examined the arthritic index, paw edema, pain threshold at 1st, 14th, 28th days. And also we examined histopathologic study(safranin-O green), immunohistochamical stain(COX-2) of knee joint at 28th days. Arthritic index, paw edema and pain threshold test were decrease in experimental group I, II than control group. Especially group II was most significantly inhibit effect than the other groups at 28th days. On the histopathologic view, all experimental groups were relieved and reproduced the erosion of arthritic site compared with control group. All experimental groups were COX-2 positive cells in the immunohistological stain of the knee joint were significantly decreased compared with control group. Especially group II was most significantly decreased than the other groups at 28th days. Onion and Acanthopanax senticosus mixture extractor can be used for curing rheumatoid arthritis. Anti-inflammatory effects may be somewhat better in combination of Onion and Acanthopanax senticosus.

• Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.19-26
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• 2007

Glutathione S-transferases(GSTs, EC 2.5.1.18), glyoxalase-I(EC 4.4.1.5) and alliin lyase(alliinase, EC 4.4.1.4) are important enzyme systems in plant bodies. The first two are mainly detoxifying enzymes that utilize glutathione(GSH) in the defense mechanism, and the last one is mainly involved in secondary metabolism and relevant to sulfur compounds derived from GSH. The activities of the three enzymes have been investigated in soluble extracts of vegetable crops, including pumpkin, cabbage, broccoli, radish, carrot, potato, sweet potato, mungbean, and onion. GST activities were detected in all of the vegetables, and the extract of onion bulb exhibited the highest specific activity(648 nmol/min/mgP). The putative GSTs of most of the vegetables were found to be induced by ethanol. The activities of GSTs in onion bulb were found to be markedly inhibited by S-hexyl glutathione and were also inhibited by S-butyl glutathione and S-propyl glutathione. The anti-CmGSTF1 antiserum recognized a thick band for putative onion GST. The estimated glyoxalase-I activity level was also high in onion bulb(4540 nmol/min/mgP), indicating that the thick band detected by Western blot analysis might result from partial recognition of glyoxalase-I by the antiserum. The specific activities for glyoxalase-I were moderate in radish and carrot, and the extracts of other vegetables had rather low levels of activities. The extract of onion also showed the highest specific activity level for alliinase(2069nmol pyruvate/mgP). The extracts of other vegetables also had alliinase activities, although the estimated values were much lower than that of onion.