Taraxacum officinale
(Dandelion, Lion's tooth)

Therapeutic Actions:

• Anti-inflammatory
• Antirheumatic
• Anti-tumor agent
• Bitter
• Cholagogue effect
• Choleric effect
• Depurative
• Diuretic - non potassium wasting
• Hypoglycemic
• Lactagogue
• Laxative
• Liver tonic
• Stimulant for the urinary system

Clinical Indications:

• Amenorrhea
• Anorexia nervosa
• Cholecystitis
• Cholelithiasis
• Constipation
• Diabetes mellitus
• Eczema
• Fertility/Infertility
• Hepatitis
• Hypertension
• Obesity
• Osteoporosis
• PMS
• Uterine fibroid
• Antimicrobial - Proteus, Escherichia, Salmonella
• Bile duct inflammation
• Cancer - in animal studies
• Chronic degenerative disease
• Diabetes - in animal studies
• Fluid retention
• Jaundice
• Liver congestion
• Weak digestion

Contraindications:

• Acute cholecystitis
• Acute diarrhea
• Irritable or inflammatory conditions of the stomach or intestines

Drug/Nutrient Interaction:

• Counterproductive to use medications that inhibit stomach acid production, ie antacids, gastric acid secretion inhibitors and histamine H2 receptor antagonists, since dandelion root promotes stomach acid secretion
• Insulin or oral hypoglycemic drugs should be monitored due to the hypoglycemic effect
• May increase lithium toxicity due to the sodium excretion effect

Chemical Constituents:

• Calcium
• Chlorophyll
• Choline
• Copper
• Fatty acids
• Flavonoids - apigenin 7-O-glucoside, luteolin 7-O-glucoside
• Inulin and levulin - regulates blood sugar
• Iron
• Manganese
• Pectin
• Phosphorus
• Potassium
• Resin
• Riboflavin
• Silicon
• Taraxacin - a bitter
• Taraxanthin - a carotenoid pigment
• Taraxerol and taraxasterol - two phytosterols
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin B-complex
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin K
• Zinc

Toxicity:

• Considered safe, even in large amounts

Copyright 1998 - 2008 by L. Vicky Crouse, ND and James S. Reiley, ND. All rights reserved (ISSN 1527-0661).