Leek (Allium ampeloprasum)

Leek, scientifically known as Allium ampeloprasum, belongs to the genus Allium

together with onion, garlic, shallot, scallion, chive and Chinese onion. It is a biennial

cool season plant that appears like large scallions having a very small bulb and a long

white cylindrical stalks of superjacent layers of green tightly wrapped flat leaves.

Cultivated leeks, which are available throughout the year, usually grow at about 12

inches in length and one (1) to two (2) inches in diameter (Mateljan, 2018). Most leeks

are grown for its thick stem which may be used primarily in flavoring soups and stews in

place of onions (Gemmel, 2013).

The benefits of leek can be traced back when it was prized by the ancient Greeks and

Romans for its beneficial effect upon the throat (Mateljan, 2018). In many European and

Asian countries, it does not only constitute as an important ingredient, but as a

medicinal plant as well (Bernaent, et. al, 2012). Leeks are an excellent source of

essential vitamins to attain optimum health. The stems contain vitamins such as

pyridoxine, folic acid, niacin, riboflavin and thiamin (Rudrappa, 2018). Furthermore, its

stalks hold minerals such as potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc,

and selenium (Kyung, 2012).

Leeks are closely related to garlic and onions, so it contains many of the same

beneficial compounds found in these vegetables. Alliums are recognized for its

antibacterial and antifungal activities, and were revered to possess powerful

antioxidants such as sulfur and other phonelic compounds (Irkin, & Korukluoglu, 2013).
Among all genus of Allium, leek is known to be the most beneficial (Khan, & Sharma,

2017).

In a metabolite profiling conducted by Soininien, et. al (2014), leeks contain quantified

flavonols like kaempferol and quercetin which has been repeatedly shown to help

protect blood vessel linings from damage. Futhermore, the Canadian Academy of

Sports Nutrition (2015) recorded phytonutrients found in leeks. It includes carotenoids

such as beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthanin that act as antioxidants against lung

and bladder cancer. Leeks are also a good source of sulfur-containing  phytochemicals,

specifically allicin and alliin, which are natural antibiotics that have antibacterial,

antiviral, antifungal, antiinflammatory, and anti-thrombotic properties (Herrera, et. al,

n.d.).

The properties leeks were known to exhibit gave way to in-depth researches regarding

its benefits towards various fields. In a study done by Kocia-Tanackov, Dimia, and Tepia

(2009), essential oil pf Allium ampeloprasum showed inhibitory effect on Rhodotorula

sp. and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It was also reported to possess antifungal potency

against A. Niger, Botrytis cinerea, Trichoderma harzianum, and Penicillium italicum

(Sadeghi, et. al, 2013).

Further research done by Khan, and Sharma (2017) aimed ro compare the antifungal

potential of Allium sativum and Allium ampeloprasum. It was tested on Magnaporthe

oryzae, which was rated at first place among the top 10 list of most harmful fungal

phytopathogens. Results showed that A. ampeloprasum obtained a higher zone of

inhibition of M. oryzae at 95% while A. sativum obtained 23%. It was then concluded
that A. ampeloprasum have relatively higher antifungal potential than A. sativum and

therefore could be considered as a natural alternative to chemical fungicides.

A similar study testing the antifungal activity of leek was conducted by Irkin, and

Korukluoglu (2013) through the use of Aspergillus niger. Disc diffusion method was

used and it was was proven that leek, along with other Allium vegetables, has the

capability to inhibit mould growth and is an effective antifungal agent.

The researchers, Mnayer et. al (2014) administered a study aiming to test the

antibacterial and antioxidant activities of six essential oils from the Alliaceae family,

being leek as one of them. Antibacterial properties were tested on five pathogens:

Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella Typhimurium, Escherichia

coli and Campylobacter jejuni bacteria. Antioxidant properties were tested by means of

Folin-Ciocalteu and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl. Leeks turned out to be one of the

strongest antioxidant, arriving to the conclusion that essential oils from Alliaceae family

is a possible alternative to synthetic antioxidants.

The efficiency of leek as a preservative was also tested on order to identify its

antimicrobial activity. Al-Hadedy, et. al (2017) added blender smashed leek to four

proportions of freshly prepared curd pf cheese equally weighed before the process. It

was found out that added concentration of leeks have the ability to preserve cheese and

enhance its pleasant flavor. This proves that leek can also act as an efficient

antimicrobial agent.

This was further supported by the study of Abdel-Salam,et. al (2014) who observed the

antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of leek, garlic, and onion. It was tested against E.
coli, A. ochrecies, S. aureus, S. typhimurium, A. niger, and F. oxysporum in sausage.

The extracts of these plants were compared with antibiotics as the positive control

group. The three extracts from the genus Allium which had higher phenolic content

showed higher antioxidant activity. Hence, the phenolic content was concluded to be an

important indicator of antioxidant capacities.