Medicinal Use of Chinese Chive and its Active Ingredients

Description

Chinese Chive is native to Asia and extensively cultivated crop in temperate and tropical regions of Asia, Australia, Europe and America. It was introduced substantially by Chinese into other Asiatic countries including North India. It has been changed less from wild and was domesticated in the orient. Domestication must have happened in North China where it's still being as wild.

Especially, in China, good variability with late and summer there will be difference in flower characters, which is very rare.

In India, this is a less known cultivated vegetable species to occur in the Western Himalaya but it occurs semi wild population in Spiti and Kinnaur regions of Himachal Pradesh. It is also naturalized in North eastern regions mainly in Manipur, Sikkim, Khasi hills of Meghalaya, Darjeeling and in the hills of western Himalayas.

In Delhi, Agra and UP regions, it's cultivated as cosmetic factory under the name American lawn and in Japan as Green Nitra Grass. The crop is still being grown in Punjab and Tamil Nadu as a trial. Since ancient times, numerous Allium species similar as onion, garlic, leek and chives have been used as food, spices and herbal remedies in wide areas of the world, especially in the northern semicircle. For domestic consumption, it can be grown in pots or small beds as perennials in hills and plains.

In off-season from September to February when onion prices are very high, Chinese chive is replaced with onion. It's one of the diurnal comestible green vegetables for Chinese due to its low calorie level. It's distributed each over landmass China and used not only as food but also as drug.

Both recently picked leaves and dried leaves have a lot of potential for export. Evergreen look of the field throughout the year and star shaped white showy fragrant flowers make this species an ideal plant for barren land and landscaping for home gardens as an ornamental use, especially during rainy season.

Evergreen look of the field throughout the time and star shaped white grabby ambrosial flowers make this species an ideal factory for barren land and landscaping for home auditoriums as an cosmetic use, especially during stormy season.

Chinese chive is a valuable source of minerals and vitamins which is low in fat and calorie but relatively high in carbohydrates, protein and dietary fibre. Chinese chive carries many health benefits, as it is rich in beta-carotene and vitamin C. Another thing that makes it a popular ingredient in Chinese medicine is that it is an excellent source of calcium.

The plant has great medicinal value. It is locally used in lowering blood cholesterol. Seeds possess an aphrodisiac property. It is one of the 76 plant species used in traditional hair care lotion locally known as chenghi by women folk of Meitei community of Manipur, India. Its seeds are reputedly used as a traditional Chinese medicine for treating both impotence and nocturnal emissions.

The extract preparation of its seeds possessing aphrodisiac property is used as a traditional remedy. The latest findings reveal that allyl sulphide is preventive against blood clots and cancer of skin, lung, liver and large intestine. With all its benefits Chinese chive has been introduced into daily diet as a healthy vegetable with stamina enhancing properties.