Dandelion Leaf

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Dandelion Leaf

 

Scientific Names:

Taraxacum officinale WEBER [Fam. Asteraceae]

 

Forms:

Dandelion leaf tea; dandelion leaf extracts

 

Traditional Usage:

 

- Anti-inflammatory

- Antioxidant

- Appetite Stimulant

- Bile Stimulant

- Biliary Deficiency

- Bloating

- Bone and Joint Conditions

- Breastfeeding Problems

- Breathing Disorders

- Bronchitis

- Cellular Regeneration

- Cleansing

- Detoxifying

- Digestive Disorders

- Diuretic

- Dyspepsia

- Eczema

- Flatulence

- Gastrointestinal Disorders

- Hormone Imbalances

- Lactation Tonic

- Laxative (mild)

- Mineral Deficiency

- Nutritive

- Pneumonia

- Pregnancy Tonic

- Respiratory Infections

- Skin Problems

- Swelling

- Tonic

- Upper Respiratory Infections

- Urinary Tract Gravel

- Vitamin Deficiency

 

Overview:

 

Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale WEBER [Fam. Asteraceae], has been used

traditionally as a medicine for many centuries in several different countries of

the world including in Arabia, India, China, Europe and North America.

Blumenthal and others note in the book, Herbal Medicine, that the genus name

Taraxacum is derived from the Greek words for disorder (taraxos) and remedy

(akos).

 

Dandelion leaves are an excellent source of vitamins A and C and other vitamins

and minerals.

As such, dandelion is often recommended as a nutrient rich food for women

during pregnancy and lactation.

 

First Nation's groups used dandelion herb and root to treat urinary system

disorders and gravel, skin problems and dropsy.

 

Studies show beneficial effects of dandelion on reducing urinary tract gravel,

attributed to disinfectant action and possibly the presence of saponins.

 

Dandelion has also been used traditionally to treat respiratory disorders.

 

Dr. James Duke notes in his book, The Green Pharmacy, that numerous clinical

trials have demonstrated the efficacy of dandelion leaves and root for treating

pneumonia, bronchitis and upper respiratory infections.

 

Dr. Duke recommends drinking the juice that remains after the greens have been

cooked.

 

The German Pharmacopoeia lists dandelion leaf and root for treating

gastrointestinal complaints stemming from bile deficiency, as well as to

stimulate appetite and diuresis.

 

Dandelion was also used in folk medicine to ease painful joint and bone

conditions.

 

The tea reduces water retention and is considered a traditional blood purifier.

 

The diuretic effect is also useful for reducing swelling. Dried dandelion leaf

tea also acts as a mild laxative.

 

German authorities recognize that 'bitters' stimulate bile flow, increase bile

solubility and cleanse the liver of fatty deposits. From ancient times on,

bitter herbal drugs played a very important role in the therapy of patients with

dyspeptic symptoms, liver congestion, hormonal imbalances and skin disorders.

 

 

 

Active Ingredients:

 

Dandelion leaf contains: Bitter compounds of the sesquiterpene lactone type

including eudesmanolides, 14-O-beta-D-glucosyl-11,13-dihydro-taraxinic acid (1)

and 14-O-beta-D-glucosyl-taraxinic acid (2); triterpenes including beta-amyrin,

taraxol, and taraxerol; carotenoids including lutein; fatty acids such as

myristic acid; flavonoids including apigenin, luteolin and chrysoeriol; three

flavonoid glycosides including luteolin 7-glucoside and two luteolin

7-diglucosides; inulin; saponins; minerals including up to 4.5% potassium;

phenolic acids including caffeic, chlorogenic, hydroxycinnamic, chicoric, and

monocaffeyltartaric acids; the coumarins, cichoriin and aesculin; sitosterol,

stigmasterol and taraxasterol; sugars; and up to 14,000 IU/100g vitamin A.

 

Raw dandelion greens contain (proximates based on 100g): 86g water; 2.7g

protein; 0.7g fat; 9.2g carbohydrate, by difference; 3.5g fibre; 1.8g ash.

Minerals include: 187mg calcium; 3mg iron; 36mg magnesium; 66mg phosphorus;

397mg potassium; 76mg sodium; 0.41mg zinc; 0.2mg copper; 0.3mg manganese; 0.5mcg

selenium. Vitamins: 35mg Vitamin C; 0.2mg thiamin; 0.3mg riboflavin; 0.8mg

niacin; 0.2 mg Vitamin B-6; 27mcg folate; 14,000 IU vitamin A; 1400mcg vitamin

A, RE; 2.5mg vitamin E (ate); and no cholesterol.

 

USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 14 (July 2001).

 

 

 

Suggested Amount:

 

Dandelion leaf is generally taken as an herbal tea three times per day. Use one

to two teaspoonfuls of finely chopped or coarsely powdered dandelion leaf per

cup of tea (1 teaspoon of powdered dandelion leaf weighs approximately 1 gram)

for daily dosage of between 4-10g. Other preparations may be taken

correspondingly, such as fluidextract and tincture.

 

Dandelion fresh pressed leaf juice can also be taken with the recommended dosage

of between 5-10ml daily.

 

For treating pneumonia, bronchitis and upper respiratory tract infections, it is

recommended that the tea be boiled for a short time and finally passed through a

strainer and that the leaves be eaten as well.

 

The boiling process serves to increase the bioavailability of some of the active

ingredients. As a food, dandelion leaf can also be added to soups.

 

 

 

Drug Interactions:

None known

 

 

 

Contraindications:

Dandelion leaf is contraindicated in cases of bile duct blockage, gall bladder

empyrema, ileus or bowel obstruction of any kind.

 

 

 

Side Effects:

None known

 

 

 

References:

Baba K, Abe S, Mizuno D. 1981. [Antitumor activity of hot water extract of

dandelion, Taraxacum officinale-correlation between antitumor activity and

timing of administration (author's transl)]. Yakugaku Zasshi. 1981 Jun; 101(6):

538-43. Japanese.

 

Blumenthal M, Goldberg A, Brinckmann J 2000. Herbal Medicine: Expanded

Commission E Monographs. Copyright American Botanical Council. Publ. by

Integrative Medicine Communications, 1029 Chestnut Street, Newton, MA 02464. Pp.

78-80.

 

Grases F, Melero G, Costa-Bauza A, Prieto R, March JG. 1994. Urolithiasis and

phytotherapy. Int Urol Nephrol. 1994; 26(5): 507-11.

 

Kashiwada Y, Takanaka K, Tsukada H, Miwa Y, Taga T, Tanaka S, Ikeshiro Y. 2001.

Sesquiterpene glucosides from anti-leukotriene B4 release fraction of Taraxacum

officinale. J Asian Nat Prod Res. 2001; 3(3): 191-7.

 

Wichtl M (ed). 1994. Taraxaci Radix and Herba - Dandelion Root and Herb (English

translation by Norman Grainger Bisset). In Herbal Drugs and

Phyto-pharmaceuticals. CRC Press, Stuttgart, pp. 486-489.

 

http://www.florahealth.com/flora/home/usa/healthinformation/encyclopedias/Dandel\

ionLeaf.asp

_________________

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjoguest

DietaryTipsForHBP

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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