Dandelion, otherwise known as Taraxacum Herba, is comprised of several species: notably, T. Officinale and T. Mongolicum are the most widely used. It has a long relationship with humanity, the first lasting document of which being Materia Medica for Famine from the Tang dynasty, which lasted from AD 618-907.
Its aerial parts have been used for food and medicine in countries such as Spain, Croatia, Slovakia, Serbia, Russia, Jordan, Mexico, Bolivia, and Malaysia. Its roots have been used in USA, Venezuela, Peru, Colombia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Portugal, and India. Both aerial and subaerial parts have been used in China, Korea, Pakistan, Italy, and Turkey.
It grows quite easily, much like chamomile and mint.
This post includes a description of the plant, a list of its main chemical constituents, and a list of the main benefits just a short way down.
Brief description:
Dandelion plants have no stems, with many-petaled yellow flowers growing straight from the tops of the stalks, and a cluster of green leaves growing out from the base. Deep roots allow dandelions to re-grow after they have been removed at the surface level.
After dandelions reach sexual maturity, the yellow flower petals retreat and are replaced by white “clocks” or “puff balls.” These are the soft stunning spheres that we make wishes on. The many thin white “cypselae” are seeds that are easily blown by the wind to start a new life.
This versatile herb grows expeditiously and without much limitation in the northern hemisphere. Its scientific classification places it in the family Asteraceae, subfamily Cichorioideae, and tribe Lactuceae.
Chemical Constituents:
Sesquiterpenoids, triterpenoids, and phytosterols:
- taraxasterol
- arnidiol
- psi-taraxasterol
- faradiol
- taraxacin
- taraxinic acid
- alpha-amyrin
- beta-amyrin
- mongolicumin A
- mongolicumin B
- beta-sitosterol (a phytosterol*)
- stigmasterol (a phytosterol)
*Phytosterols are known to help with high cholesterol.
Flavonoids and phenolic acids:
- quercetin
- luteolin
- hesperetin
- apigenin
- artemetin
- isoetin
- genkwanin
- caffeic acid
- chlorogenic acid
- 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid
- ferulic acid
- cichoric acid
- 4,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid,
- p-hydroxybenzoic acid
- p-coumaric acid
- 3,5-di-hydroxylbenzoic acid
- syringic acid
- gallic acid
- 3,4-di-hydroxybenzoic acid
- caffeic acid ethyl ester
- cichoric acid
- mono-caffeoyl-tartaric acid
- chlorogenic acid
- 4-caffeoylquinic acid
- protocatechuic acid
- vanillic acid
- p-hydroxyphenyl acetic acid
Organic Acids:
- oxalic acid
- quinic acid
- malic acid
- citric acid
- fumaric acid
- ascorbic acid
Dandelion Benefits
Dandelion plants have several documented benefits. These benefits include:
- Anti-oxidation: Several studies show that dandelion, especially the aerial parts, can have an anti-oxidative effect, via multiple functions.
- Anti-inflammation: Several mice studies have shown that dandelion can help reduce inflammation after injury.
- Diuretic effect: It is thought that the high potassium content in dandelions helps people achieve a more regular release of fluid.
- Hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic activities: Animal studies showed that consumption of dandelions lowered levels of fat and cholesterol in the blood.
- Anti-hepatotoxicity: Dandelions have liver-protecting qualities, likely due to the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics mentioned above. The hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic activities may also contribute to the beneficial effects on the liver.
- Antimicrobial activity: Dandelion in various forms has been seen to reduce microbial activity, particularly:
Bacteria:
- Staphylococcus aureus (ethanol extract fraction)
- Eschericia coli (with ethanol extract fraction, maceration, but did not work with decoction)
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ethanol extract fraction)
Fungi:
- Aspergillus niger
- Paecilomyces variotii
- Cladosporium herbarum
Even if you don’t have any particular interest in dandelions per se, it is abundantly clear from all the experiments done using this flower that herbalism is still relevant. Although modern medicine has become more detailed in what works, why it works, and what it targets, it is still based on fundamental knowledge about our environment that we have inherited from our ancestors. The progress we have made in understanding our health is beautifully rooted in our surviving past, and continues to unfold with greater accuracy and precision than ever.
“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.“
-Isaac Newton
Sources:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1674638418300911