AbstractEpidemiologic studies keep up the proposition thatAlliumvegetables can lower the risk of cancers. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells exhibit high proliferative potency and have a reduced capacity of undergoing apoptosis and maturation. The beneficial effects ofAlliumseem related to the organosulfur products generated upon processing of these species. For this purpose, the aim of this study was to testAllium roseumfresh (FAE), crude (CAE) and dried (DAE) aqueous extracts for activity against the human acute leukemia cell line (U937). As assessed by flow cytometry, inhibited cell proliferation was in a dose‐dependent manner. Firstly, study showed that cell growth was inhibited with 20 mg/mL using FAE and CAE (60% and 73% respectively). Secondly, our experiments clearly indicate that allA. roseumextracts do not induce cell apoptosis. This was confirmed by the soft binding of Annexin V to phosphatidylserine. Finally, the high expression of macrophage's marker CD11 associated with adequate morphological changes proves clearly the differentiation aspect produced byA. roseumextract. Taken together, these data suggest thatA. roseumcould be a promising candidate for the alternative medicine in the field of cancer therapy.