57 Cellular and Molecular Biology Review Plants of the genus Allium as antibacterial agents: From tradition to pharmacy J. Sharif-Rad 1,2 , D. Mnayer 3 , G. Tabanelli 4 , Z. Z. Stojanović-Radić 5 , M. Sharif-Rad 6* , Z. Yousaf 7 , L. Vallone 8 , W. N. Setzer 9 , M. Iriti 10* 1 Zabol Medicinal Plants Research Center, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran 2 Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran 3 Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Veterinary Medicine, Lebanese University, Dekwaneh, Beirut 6573, Lebanon 4 Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca Industriale Agroalimentare, Università degli Studi di Bologna, Cesena, Italy 5 Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, University of Niš, Višegradska 33, RS-18000 Niš, Serbia 6 Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran 7 Department of Botany, Lahore College for Women University, Jail Road Lahore, Pakistan 8 Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie per la Salute, la Produzione Animale e la Sicurezza Alimentare, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy 9 Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35899, USA 10 Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Milan State University, Milan, Italy Abstract: Plants belonging to the genus Allium are widely cultivated and used all over the world as food and medicinal plants. Since ancient times, these plants, particularly garlic (Allium sativum L.) and onion (Allium cepa L.), have represented important components of typical recipes and traditional healing systems. Not the least of which, their use as food biopreservatives is well documented, due to the relevant antibacterial activity of their extracts and essential oils. In addition to garlic and onion, this review article deals with the main members of the genus Allium, including A. ampeloprasum (Leek), A. schoenoprasum (Chive) and A. ascalonicum (Shallot), focusing both on their ethnonutritional uses and potential as promising food biopreservative agents. Noteworthy, recent research has demonstrated Allium derivatives to be novel components in active edible coatings as well as nanoformulates. Key words: Alliaceae, Allium sativum L., ethnobotany, ethnonutrition, antimicrobial activity, food biopreservatives. Introduction The genus Allium belongs to the monocot family Alliaceae, formerly considered part of Liliaceae and Amaryllidaceae. It is a large and heterogeneous taxon including approximately 850 species that grow wild throughout the temperate, semi-arid and arid regions of the northern hemisphere. These plants are hardy per- ennials with underground storage organs consisting of true bulbs, or less-developed vestigial bulbs attached to rhizomes, the latter known as rhizomatous alliums. The main centre of evolution of the genus extends along the Irano-Turanian biogeographical region. Secondary cen- tres of diversity are found in the Mediterranean basin and western North America (The California Floristic Province). From these centres, Allium plants have wide- ly spread all over the northern hemisphere (1). Many plants of this genus are of high economic signifcance as vegetables [A. cepa (onion, shallot and scallion); A. sativum (garlic); A. ampeloprasum (leek); A. schoenoprasum (chive); A ascalonicum (shallot)], or- namentals and medicinal plants (particularly garlic and onion). For instance, in case of garlic, Asian countries are the most important producers of this species (Figure 1A), with China at the top of the ranking (Figure 1B). In addition, garlic is a signifcant source of micronutrients (minerals and vitamins) (Table 1) and its pharmacologi- cal activities are currently investigated in a number of clinical trials (Table 2). This review focuses on plants belonging to genus Al- lium, with emphasis on their antimicrobial properties, active constituents, ethnopharmacological uses and hor- ticultural traits. Cultivation of Allium spp. plants As previously introduced, the genus Allium is origi- nated from south west Asia in dry, arid and moderate humid climatic regions. Therefore, its main centre of diversity extends from Mediterranean basin to central Asia and Pakistan. Second centre of diversity, compara- tively less pronounced, occurs in western North Amer- ica (2). Improper management and intense gathering caused severe decline of wild sources. Findings from ancient Egyptian burials, suggest that the history of on- ion cultivation may date back to at least 3200-2800 BC. No data are available on evolutionary history of culti- vated Allium (3). Now, Allium species are cultivated as annuals and appropriate sowing season is from July to November. Seed germination temperature is around 13 Received May 14, 2016; Accepted August 7, 2016; Published August 29, 2016 * Corresponding author: Mehdi Sharif-Rad, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran. E-mail: mehdi_sharifrad@yahoo.com; Marcello Iriti, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Milan State University, Milan, Italy. E-mail address: marcello.iriti@unimi.it Copyright: © 2016 by the C.M.B. Association. All rights reserved. Sharif-Rad et al. Cell. Mol. Biol.2016, 62 (9): 57-68 ISSN: 1165-158X doi: 10.14715/cmb/2016.62.9.10