Dandelion Leaf

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Dandelion Leaf

Scientific Names: Taraxacum officinale WEBER [Fam. Asteraceae]

Forms: Dandelion leaf tea; dandelion leaf extracts

 

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.

 

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

 

lth.com/flora/home/usa/healthinformation/encyclopedias/DandelionLeaf.

asp

 

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.