The aim of this work was to study the chemical composition of Allium obliquum L., A. senescens L. subsp. montanum (Fries) Holub, and A. schoenoprasum L. subsp. schoenoprasum. Sulphur-containing compounds analysis was performed by an LC-MS method, the identification and quantification of polyphenolic compounds through a HPLC-UV-MS method, and the presence of five sterols was simultaneously assessed by HPLC-MS-MS. Alliin was identified only in A. obliquum and A. senescens subsp. montanum extracts, whilst allicin was present in all extracts, with higher amounts in A. schoenoprasum and A. obliquum. The pattern of phenol carboxylic acids shows the presence of p-coumaric and ferulic acids in all species. Isoquercitrin was identified in A. obliquum and A. schoenoprasum, and rutin in A. senescens subsp. montanum and A. schoenoprasum. Luteolin and apigenin were identified only in A. obliquum. All three species contain glycosides of kaempferol and quercetol. β-Sitosterol and campesterol were identified in all species. The results obtained showed significant differences in the composition of the three Allium species.

Five Allium species (Allium obliquum L., A. senescens L. subsp. montanum (Fries) Holub, A. schoenoprasum L. subsp. schoenoprasum, A. fistulosum L. and A. ursinum L.) were analysed in order to determine the presence of 19 polyphenolic compounds through an HPLC method coupled with UV and mass spectrometry detection. The pattern of phenol carboxylic acids indicates the presence of p-coumaric and ferulic acids in all species. Isoquercitrin was found in A. obliquum, A. schoenoprasum and A. fistulosum, rutin in A. senescens subsp. montanum and A. schoenoprasum, whereas quercitrin was found only in A. fistulosum, so they represent potential taxonomic markers that differentiate the four plants. Luteolin and apigenin were identified before and after hydrolysis only in A. obliquum. The amounts of all polyphenols were higher in hydrolysed samples, suggesting that these substances are present both as unbonded and bonded glycosides and/or esters. Our study showed large differences between the five Allium species, both qualitative and quantitative.