Phyto-characteristics, cultivation and medicinal prospects of Chinese Jiaotou (Allium chinense).

Abstract

Chinese jiaotou (Allium chinense G. Don) is a commercially important plant species. Historically, it has been used in Asia and elsewhere mainly as vegetable and for controlling various diseases and stresses like heart problems, headache, worms and tumors. Several types of glycosides and other medicinal compounds have been isolated from this plant. In China, the largest areas of its cultivation are situated in Jiangxi, Yunnan, Hubei and Zhejiang provinces, where efforts are being made for improving their cultivation techniques. Four major cultivars are now grown in China viz. large leaved, pumilum, long sheath, and pearl Chinese jiaotou. Its plants are considered to be autotetraploids. Conventional breeding method (bulb propagation) has limited the breeding program and genetic researches on this crop. Jiaotou multiplies by vegetatively and each plant producing nearly thirty bulbs, which are harvested and stored between 4 to 18oC. Low propagation rate and high rate of virus infection during vegetative propagation are the limiting factors for its cultivation. Due to the medicinal importance, we also describe the phytochemical constituents of Chinese jiaotou bulbs. Plants of the genus Allium are known for their creation of steroid saponins, as well as organosulfur compounds. Steroid saponins have been found to have some fascinating biological and pharmacologic actions including antifungal, antibacterial, antiinflammatory and hypocholesteremic influences. However, a variety of steroid saponins from Allium spp. are being increasingly recognized for their importance in biological processes. Chinese jiaotou bulbs give the following percentage, based on fresh weight; protein, 2.2; fat, 0.3; carbohydrate, 13.1; and ash, 3.8. These data also give some information about their quality and importance. In this review, we provide background for and insight into body of literatures on Jiaotou bio-ecology, agricultural techniques to motivate the interest in this crop, which is very importance in China as well as in south-east Asia. © 2012 Friends Science Publishers