Health benefits of dandelion root

Dandelion has been used in many herbal remedies around the globe, but Dandelion has been mainly used for two of them, as a liver cleanse and as blood purifier and diuretic [2][9].

Dandelion root helps the liver to produce more bile (choleretic property)[2][8], that later on is sent to the gallbladder to be used, helping the gallbladder to contract and release (cholagogue property) [2] this stored bile, which also helps to assimilate the fats.

TARAXACUM OFFICINALE

Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Taraxacum
Common name: Dandelion.

DANDELION ROOT BENEFITS FOR CANCER TREATMENT

• HUMAN MELANOMA

In the skin cancer known as human melanoma, dandelion root extract was proven to be effective against the resistant G361 human melanoma cell, when combined with the metabolism interfering anti-type II diabetic drug metformin [11], showing a potential use of Dandelion root as a treatment for this type of melanoma cells.

• LEUKEMIA

The use of Dandelion root extract for the treatment of certain type of leukemia cells showed a certain effectiveness too.

DANDELION ROOT CHOLERETIC AND CHOLAGOGUE PROPERTIES

Dandelion root helps the liver to produce more bile (choleretic property)[2][8], that later on is sent to the gallbladder to be used, helping the gallbladder to contract and release (cholagogue property) [2] this stored bile, which also helps to assimilate the fats.

DANDELION ROOT BENEFITS FOR ARTERIOSCLEROSIS

Dandelion´s root has also many medicinal properties, some of them as important as the anti-oxidative function. Dandelion´s root and leaf have been scientifically proven as an herbal remedy against oxidative stress linked to arteriosclerosis [8].

DANDELION ROOT BENEFITS FOR DIABETES

Some other uses of dandelion root include its use as coffee substitute [3][4]. Less documented but still proven, dandelion root has also been used in Europe to treat diabetes [5][7], probably because of its properties as blood sugar stabilizer [10].

Dandelion root helps to decrease high blood pressure [9]. Dandelion root has also been used for its herbal properties to ease uterus cramps [10].

DANDELION ROOT ACTIVE CONSTITUENTS

Terpenoids, triterpenoids, taraxerol, taraxacin, lactucin and taraxasterol.Chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, Carbohydrate as fructose, glucose, inulin and sucrose.

Flavonoid glycosides, taraxafolide (1) and (+)-taraxafolin-B (2) sesquiterpene, thirteen benzenoids, two indole alkaloids, one pyridine. Dandelion root contains a bitter principle called taraxin which is a mixture of sesquiterpene lactones and taraxacoside [2].

DANDELION AS LIVER CLEANSE - BLOOD PURIFIER

Dandelion has been used in many herbal remedies around the globe, but Dandelion has been mainly use for two of them, as herbal remedy as a liver cleanser and as blood purifier and diuretic [2][9].

KIDNEY - URINARY TRACT - ANTI-INFLAMMATORY PROPERTIES

Other uses of Dandelion include in fact its use to clean also kidney and urinary tract [6]. To this uses and facts we have to add some reported anti-inflammatory effects of Dandelion [7] extracts used in animal trials.

DIURETIC PROPERTIES OF DANDELION ROOT

Dandelion´s extracts have also been proven their diuretic effects in a case study [9], where patients having a daily intake of fresh leaf hydroethanolic extract of Dandelion showed an increased urinary frequency compared to those not having taken Dandelion´s extracts.

DANDELION ROOT ANTI-OXIDATIVE PROPERTIES - ARTERIOSCLEROSIS

Dandelion´s root has also many medicinal properties, some of them as important as the anti-oxidative function. Dandelion´s root and leaf have been scientifically proven as an herbal remedy against oxidative stress linked to arteriosclerosis [8].

Side Effects and Precaution

For Dandelion root side effects and precautions see disclaimer below.

REFERENCES

[1] The 4 Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan By Michelle Schoffro Cook

[2] The complete natural medicine guide to the 50 most common medicinal herbs By Heather Boon, Michael Smith

[3] The essential guide to herbal safety By Simon Mills, Kerry Bone

[4] Pacific Feast: A Cook's Guide to West Coast Foraging and Cuisine By Jennifer Hahn, Mac (PHT) Smith

[5] Rodale's illustrated encyclopedia of herbs By Claire Kowalchik, William H. Hylton, Anna Carr

[6] The Wild & Weedy Apothecary: An A to Z Book of Herbal Concoctions, Recipes and Remedies By Doreen Shababy

[7] The 150 healthiest foods on earth: the surprising, unbiased truth about what you should eat and why By Jonny Bowden

[8] The New Healing Herbs: The Classic Guide to Nature's Best Medicines By Michael Castleman

[9] The Way of Herbs By Michael Tierra

[10] Homoeopathic Materia Medica of Graphical Drug Pictures By A. Pulford.

[11] The efficacy of dandelion root extract in inducing apoptosis in drug-resistant human melanoma cells. Chatterjee SJ, Ovadje P, Mousa M, Hamm C, Pandey S. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, ON, Canada

[12] PUBMED. Hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects of dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) root and leaf on cholesterol-fed rabbits.Choi UK, Lee OH, Yim JH, Cho CW, Rhee YK, Lim SI, Kim YC. Pohang Center for Evaluation of Biomaterials, Pohang, Korea.

[9] PUBMED. The diuretic effect in human subjects of an extract of Taraxacum officinale folium over a single day. Clare BA, Conroy RS, Spelman K. Department of Herbal Medicine, Tai Sophia Institute, Laurel, MD 20723, USA.