Nature has given many beneficial and useful plants to mankind. One such wonderful plant is onion. Onion is one of the oldest cultivated herbs. It was popular in ancient Egypt, where it is depicted on tombs as early as 3200 BC Onion is believed to have originated in central Asia, possibly in the Iran-Pakistan region. It has been cultivated since ancient time in the Middle East and India. Its area of cultivation includes India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Burma, The Philippines, China, Egypt, west and east Africa, Tropical south and Central America and the Caribbean.
According to Hakeem Hashmi, a well-respected unani physician and researcher, onion has been used as a herbal remedy from time immemorial. In ancient Egypt, physicians prescribed onions in various diseases. Discoredes in the first century A.D, prescribed onion is an herbal remedy. Onion and milk diet was advocated for dropsy in 1835. Even a French physician Dr. Dalache published a comprehensive article on onion cure in 1912. The bulb (onion) is of different colours white, red & pale, white onion is the most useful medicinally but the commonly used in the red variety. Its taste is sweet and pungent. It is as appetizer and helps in digestion of food. According to Hakeem Hashmi onion is a source of energy and acts as a stimulant increases vigor and vitality, acts as an expectorant and diuretic slows the heart beat, prevents flatulence and dyspepsia. It is useful in various diseases. The odour in onion is due to organic sulphur compounds, and is produced only when the tissues are cut or injured by enzyme action on a water-soluble amino acid. Heat or freeze-drying prevents, the enzymes action, so that cooking produces a different odour, flavour and pungency.

• Onions are noted for their easily assimilable iron content. They are, there fore, beneficial in treating Anaemia.

• Onions are very effective in bleeding piles. About 30 grms of onions should be finely ground on a slab with water and 60 grms of sugar added to it. Taken twice daily this brings relief within a few days.

• Onion is irritating to the skin and stimulates the circulation of blood in the mucous membranes. Warts sometimes disappear when rubbed with out onions.

• It is established that in recent researches in the west, onion as an effective preventive edible against heart attack. This benefit is due to the presence of its essential oil, Aliypropyl disulphide, catchall, protocatechuic acid, thiopropiono aldehyde, thiocyanate, minerals and vitamins. Eating 100 gmrs of onion per day assist the functioning of heart by correcting thrombosis besides reducing blood cholesterol.

• Russian doctors by their research have confirmed the bactericidal properties of onion. According to these finding, a person consuming at least one raw onion every day after through mastication is protected from a host of teeth disorders. Chewing raw onion for 3 minutes is sufficient to kill all germs in the mouth. Placing a small piece of onion on the affected tooth or gum often alleviates toothache.

• One teaspoon of onion juice mixed with milk or honey taken at bedtime induces sleep.

• In cough, onion juice mixed with ginger juice and honey acts as an expectorant.

• Eating raw onion or applying onion juice on the fore head helps in controlling cold.

• Onion juice mixed with ginger juice black peeper & salt or ground onion with honey helps in controlling Asthma and problems of throat, tonsils and lungs.

• -To cure dysentery, take 100 gms of onion juice, 2 gms peppermint, 1 gm camphor, 25 gms juice of mint leaves, 25 gm juice of basic leaves and mix them well. Feed 1-1 spoon with "missri" (sugar cranules) several times. This will cure dysentery.

• Regular intake of onion maintains the normal blood circulation and helps to prevent heart disease.
• If honeybee stings, then rub raw onion on the affected part.
• Apply onion juice over the black heads, 2-3 times everyday and it will disappear.

• Mix onion juice, lemon juice and mint juice equal measure. Drink this mixture vomiting and related problems will be cured.

• Put some drops of onion juice into the nose, then hick up will disappear.

• If there is hot wind blowing while going out door, eating raw onion will help reduce body heat.

• To prevent falling of hair, rub onion juice and wash after some time. This will help to stop hair loss.

• In the case of loss of vitality, consume onion juice 2-3 weeks, regularly. This will help to gain vigor and vitality substantially.

• While suffering in jaundice, eat raw onion is the morning and at night before going to sleep.

• Onion juice helps to cure stomach disorders and clean digestive tracks.

• - Mix honey and pinch of turmeric powder with onion juice and rub this mixture over the breasts before going to sleep. This helps to will develop the women breasts. This also helps to prevent the loosening of breasts.

• Headache is a common problem and the cure is also very easy. Massage some onion juice on the forehead and the headache will disappear.

• Take onion juice along with honey daily and vitality and vigor will increase.

• In summer and in rainy season, lots of mosquito flies around the burning bulbs. Cut two onions into two pieces each and hang around the bulb, all the mosquito will fly away.

• To remove stains of mud and katha on the cloths rub onion pieces on it and wash with soap. Onion is one of the most important aphrodisiac foods, second only to garlic. It increases libido and strengthens the reproductory organs. Peel off the white onion crush and fry in pure butter. This combination an excellent aphrodisiac tonic if taken regularly with a spoon of honey on an empty stomach. While concluding of the usefulness of onion, Hakeem Hashmi indicates a word of caution. White onion is preferable to the red and yellow varieties. Onion should be taken with meals preferably raw (as a salad), since fried or cooked onions are comparatively difficult to digest. For therapeutic purpose, it is desirable to use onion juice instead of whole onion. One should avoid excess consumption, since it is being stimulating and irritation food.