Nencini et al. (2007) evaluated the antioxidant properties of Allium neapolitanum and two other wild species (Allium roseum and Allium subhirsutum) compared with the antioxidant activity of the greatly studied garlic (Allium sativum).
The flowers of species growing wild showed the higher antioxidant power. Interesting results were shown even by the leaves, while the antioxidant capacity of the bulbs was lower.
A correlation between the phenolic constituents and the antioxidant activity was found (Tables 7-9).
In addition to the antioxidant properties, the leaves or bulbs homogenates of Allium neapolitanum provide protection against ethanol-induced liver injury (Nencini et al., 2010a).
The aged extracts obtained from the leaves showed the best antioxidant activity, followed by flowers and then by bulbs, while flower bulblets and bulblets exhibited lower results or no activity (Nencini et al., 2011).
Allium neapolitanum showed antiradical power for each part tested but only for the bulblets was it possible to calculate IC50 values (2.65 ± 0.032 mg/mL).
Moreover, Allium neopolitanum had good FRAP (ferric reducing / antioxidant power) values for the flowers (4.87 ± 0.290 μmol/g) and bulblets (3.20 ± 0.114 μmol/g), but lower for the leaves and bulbs (Nencini et al., 2007). Bulb extracts of both Allium neapolitanum and Allium subhirsutum possess antihypertensive activity (Nencini et al., 2010b).
A cellobiose compound, isolated from a combination of herbal extracts of Capsicum chinens and Allium neapolitanum has apoptic activity in cancer cells (Znoj, 2011).