Dandelion

(Taraxacum officinale)

Other Names:

N/A

Range:

Family:

Asteraceae – Composite family

Growth Type:

A Herbaceous Perennial weed which is the bane of lawncare nuts throughout the United States.

Height:

Up to 3 ft in height

Leaves:

Deeply toothed leaves form a basal rosette.

Stem/Trunk:

Single hollow stem on flower

Root:

A deep taproot

Flower Season:

Spring

Flower Appearance:

Composite yellow flowers consisting of disk flower, ray flowers, and bracts.

Seed/Fruit:

When the flower goes to seed, it produces a round white seed cluster which readily release under a gentle breeze.

Miscellaneous characteristics:

Just about every kids has, at one time or another, picked a dandelion flower in seed, and watched the seeds scatter as they blew them free of the flower head.

Habitat:

Lawns and waste areas all over North America

Parts Used:

Leaves, Flowers, Roots

Culinary Uses:

In the early spring, before the plant flowers, the tender young leaves can be added to salads, or used as a cooked vegetable. Once the plant flowers, most people the leaves are too bitter to eat. I however, still like the flavor they bring to salads, I have also used the leaves from spring through autumn as a cooked vegetable. The leaves are very high in Vitamin & minerals. A tea made from the leaves is used as a tonic to promote general health. When dry roasted, and ground, the root is supposed to make a good coffee substitute, although I have not personally tried it. The flowers can be dipped in a batter and fried to make a tasty fritter. The flower tops can also be made into a wonderfully delicate wine. It is important to note that you must not use any of the green underside part of the flower (the sepals), as this will impart an unpleasant bitterness to your wine. It takes a while to gather enough flowers to make wine, but your work will be rewarded, as this is one of the best wines I have ever tasted.

Energetics:

Taste: Bitter
Thermal: Cooling
Humidity: Drying

Traditional Medicinal Uses:

It is important to note that like with many other plants, just by eating dandelion, you will reap numerous health benefits. The flowers, leaves, and roots have strong anti-inflammatory properties. Root tea has been used as a diuretic, and to treat ailments of the liver, gall bladder, kidney, and bladder. Dandelion has been shown effective at dissolving and eliminating urinary and biliary stones and gravel. A tea or decoction made from the leaves has also been used as a tonic to treat the liver, weak or impaired digestion, and constipation. I make an ointment from the flowers which I find to be HIGHLY effective at alleviating joint pain caused by arthritis.

Usage Citations

The fact that studies concerning all indications listed above have not yet been completed, does not mean said uses are invalid. The plants I have included have a long history of effective use, and most were part of the U.S. Pharmacopoeia prior to the advent of allopathic medicine.

Anorexia: Rasool, Sheezan, and Bharti Sharma. "Taraxacum officinale: a high value less known medicinal plant." Ann Plant Sci 3, no. 12 (2014): 908-915.

Arthritis: Chen J, Wu W, Zhang M, Chen C. Taraxasterol suppresses inflammation in IL-1β-induced rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes and rheumatoid arthritis progression in mice. Int Immunopharmacol. 2019 May;70:274-283. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2019.02.029. Epub 2019 Mar 6. PMID: 30851708.

Ascites (Fluid in the abdomen): Ardiyanto, D., Z. Zulkarnain, P. R. W. Astana, A. Triyono, F. Novianto, U. Fitriani, U. Nisa, and T. A. Mana. "Efficacy of hepatoprotector jamu formula (combination of Curcuma longa, Curcuma xanthorrhiza, and Taraxacum officinale) compared to Fructus schizandrae extract in mild liver injury: a randomized controlled trial." In IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, vol. 913, no. 1, p. 012089. IOP Publishing, 2021.

Atonic Dyspepsia: Akbar, Shahid, and Shahid Akbar. "Taraxacum officinale (L.) Weber ex FH Wigg (Asteraceae/Compositae) (Syns.: T. dens-leonis Desf.; T. vulgare (Lam.) Schrank)." Handbook of 200 Medicinal Plants: A Comprehensive Review of Their Traditional Medical Uses and Scientific Justifications (2020): 1743-1751.

Carbuncles (Dome shaped group of furnuncles) (boils): Wu J, Sun J, Liu M, Zhang X, Kong L, Ma L, Jiang S, Liu X, Ma W. Botany, Traditional Use, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology and Quality Control of Taraxaci herba: Comprehensive Review. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2024 Aug 23;17(9):1113. doi: 10.3390/ph17091113. PMID: 39338278; PMCID: PMC11434673.

Cholecystitis (Inflammation of the gallbladder): Tee, Desmond Weia; Wong, Hon Foonga,. Effective Common Chinese Herbal Medicines Used in Treating Chronic Cholecystitis with Liver-Gallbladder Dampness-Heat Syndrome: A Review of Clinical Studies in the Past 10 Years. World Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 9(1):p 8-20, Jan–Mar 2023. | DOI: 10.4103/2311-8571.364414

Cholelithiasis (Gallstones): Mahboubi, Mohaddese; Mahboubi, Mona. Hepatoprotection by dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and mechanisms. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine 10(1):p 1-10, January 2020. | DOI: 10.4103/2221-1691.273081

Constipation (difficulty passing stool): Akbar, S. (2020). Taraxacum officinale (L.) Weber ex F.H. Wigg (Asteraceae/Compositae). In: Handbook of 200 Medicinal Plants. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16807-0_180

Edema (Dropsy or Swelling): Saeki, Daisuke, Takeshi Yamada, Yasuko In, Tetsuya Kajimoto, Reiko Tanaka, Yota Iizuka, Takahisa Nakane, Akihito Takano, and Kazuo Masuda. "Officinatrione: An unusual (17S)-17, 18-seco-lupane skeleton, and four novel lupane-type triterpenoids from the roots of Taraxacum officinale." Tetrahedron 69, no. 5 (2013): 1583-1589.

Furuncle (Boils): Rasool, Sheezan, and Bharti Sharma. "Taraxacum officinale: a high value less known medicinal plant." Ann Plant Sci 3, no. 12 (2014): 908-915.

GERD (Gastroesophogeal reflux disease (heartburn)): Li Y, Chen Y, Sun-Waterhouse D. The potential of dandelion in the fight against gastrointestinal diseases: A review. J Ethnopharmacol. 2022 Jul 15;293:115272. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.115272. Epub 2022 Apr 8. PMID: 35405251.

Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar): Wirngo FE, Lambert MN, Jeppesen PB. The Physiological Effects of Dandelion (Taraxacum Officinale) in Type 2 Diabetes. Rev Diabet Stud. 2016 Summer-Fall;13(2-3):113-131. doi: 10.1900/RDS.2016.13.113. Epub 2016 Aug 10. PMID: 28012278; PMCID: PMC5553762.

Hyperkalemia (High serum potassium levels): Adelakun, Sunday Aderemi, Aniah Julius Akomaye, Olusegun Dare Omotoso, and Olukayode Abimbola Arowosegbe. "Anti-hepatopathy and anti-nephropathy activities of Taraxacum officinale in a rat model of Streptozotocin diabetes-induced hepatorenal toxicity and dyslipidemia via attenuation of oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, electrolyte imbalances, and mitochondrial dysfunction." Aspects of Molecular Medicine 3 (2024): 100034.

Hypertension (High blood pressure): Adelakun, Sunday Aderemi, Aniah Julius Akomaye, Olusegun Dare Omotoso, and Olukayode Abimbola Arowosegbe. "Anti-hepatopathy and anti-nephropathy activities of Taraxacum officinale in a rat model of Streptozotocin diabetes-induced hepatorenal toxicity and dyslipidemia via attenuation of oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, electrolyte imbalances, and mitochondrial dysfunction." Aspects of Molecular Medicine 3 (2024): 100034.

Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes): Mahboubi, Mohaddese; Mahboubi, Mona. Hepatoprotection by dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and mechanisms. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine 10(1):p 1-10, January 2020. | DOI: 10.4103/2221-1691.273081

Oliguria (Low urine output): Clare BA, Conroy RS, Spelman K. The diuretic effect in human subjects of an extract of Taraxacum officinale folium over a single day. J Altern Complement Med. 2009 Aug;15(8):929-34. doi: 10.1089/acm.2008.0152. PMID: 19678785; PMCID: PMC3155102.

Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR): Chen, Biao, Ian Edwin Cock, and Yelu Liu. "Taraxacum officinale (L.) Weber ex FH Wigg Root Extracts Inhibit the Growth of Bacterial Triggers of Selected Autoimmune Inflammatory Diseases and Potentiate the Activity of Conventional Antibiotics." Pharmacognosy Communications 14, no. 3 (2024): 102-114.

Renal Lithiasis (Kidney stones): Yousefi Ghale-Salimi M, Eidi M, Ghaemi N, Khavari-Nejad RA. Inhibitory effects of taraxasterol and aqueous extract of Taraxacum officinale on calcium oxalate crystallization: in vitro study. Ren Fail. 2018 Nov;40(1):298-305. doi: 10.1080/0886022X.2018.1455595. PMID: 29619876; PMCID: PMC6014465.

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Chen, Biao, Ian Edwin Cock, and Yelu Liu. "Taraxacum officinale (L.) Weber ex FH Wigg Root Extracts Inhibit the Growth of Bacterial Triggers of Selected Autoimmune Inflammatory Diseases and Potentiate the Activity of Conventional Antibiotics." Pharmacognosy Communications 14, no. 3 (2024): 102-114.

Urinary Calculus: Yousefi Ghale-Salimi M, Eidi M, Ghaemi N, Khavari-Nejad RA. Inhibitory effects of taraxasterol and aqueous extract of Taraxacum officinale on calcium oxalate crystallization: in vitro study. Ren Fail. 2018 Nov;40(1):298-305. doi: 10.1080/0886022X.2018.1455595. PMID: 29619876; PMCID: PMC6014465.

Medicinal Actions:
Alterative, Antacid, Antidiabetic, Antihydropic, Anti-Inflammatory, Antilithic, Antioxidant, Antirheumatic, Antiscorbutic, Aperient, Astringent, Cholagogue, Diuretic, Galactagogue, Hepatic, Laxative, Lithotriptic, Lymphatic, Tonic: Kidney, Tonic: Liver

Action Citations

The fact that studies concerning all of the traditional medicinal actions listed above have not yet been completed, does not mean said actions are invalid. The plants I have included have a long history of effective use, and most were part of the U.S. Pharmacopoeia prior to the advent of allopathic medicine.

Alterative (Restores proper function to the body): Govender, Nervashnee. "A study comparing the effectiveness of a herbal-complex (Arctium lappa, Berberis aquifolium, Echinacea purpurea and Taraxacum officinale) as compared to homoeopathic simillimum in the treatment of Acne vulgaris." PhD diss., 2003.

Antacid (Reduces or eliminates stomach acid): Li Y, Chen Y, Sun-Waterhouse D. The potential of dandelion in the fight against gastrointestinal diseases: A review. J Ethnopharmacol. 2022 Jul 15;293:115272. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.115272. Epub 2022 Apr 8. PMID: 35405251.

Antihydropic (Alleviates fluid retention (Dropsy)): Saeki, Daisuke, Takeshi Yamada, Yasuko In, Tetsuya Kajimoto, Reiko Tanaka, Yota Iizuka, Takahisa Nakane, Akihito Takano, and Kazuo Masuda. "Officinatrione: An unusual (17S)-17, 18-seco-lupane skeleton, and four novel lupane-type triterpenoids from the roots of Taraxacum officinale." Tetrahedron 69, no. 5 (2013): 1583-1589.

Antilithic (Prevents stones or gravel in the urine): Yousefi Ghale-Salimi M, Eidi M, Ghaemi N, Khavari-Nejad RA. Inhibitory effects of taraxasterol and aqueous extract of Taraxacum officinale on calcium oxalate crystallization: in vitro study. Ren Fail. 2018 Nov;40(1):298-305. doi: 10.1080/0886022X.2018.1455595. PMID: 29619876; PMCID: PMC6014465.

Antioxidant (Renders free radicals harmless): Pădureţ, S. E. R. G. I. U., Sonia Amariei, Gheorghe Gutt, and Beniamin Piscuc. "The evaluation of dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) properties as a valuable food ingredient." Romanian Biotechnological Letters 21, no. 3 (2016): 11569-11575.

Antiscorbutic (Prevents or cures scurvy): Pădureţ, S. E. R. G. I. U., Sonia Amariei, Gheorghe Gutt, and Beniamin Piscuc. "The evaluation of dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) properties as a valuable food ingredient." Romanian Biotechnological Letters 21, no. 3 (2016): 11569-11575.

Aperient (A mild gentle laxative): U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 1992-2016. Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases. Home Page, http://phytochem.nal.usda.gov/

Bitter (Releases digestive hormones in the gut): Li Y, Chen Y, Sun-Waterhouse D. The potential of dandelion in the fight against gastrointestinal diseases: A review. J Ethnopharmacol. 2022 Jul 15;293:115272. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.115272. Epub 2022 Apr 8. PMID: 35405251.

Cholagogue (Stimulates the flow of bile from the liver): Wichtl, M. 1984. Teedrogen. Ein Handbuch fur Apotheker und Arzte. Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellscharft. mbH Stuttgart. 393 pp.

Diuretic (Increased urine production and output): Clare BA, Conroy RS, Spelman K. The diuretic effect in human subjects of an extract of Taraxacum officinale folium over a single day. J Altern Complement Med. 2009 Aug;15(8):929-34. doi: 10.1089/acm.2008.0152. PMID: 19678785; PMCID: PMC3155102.

Galactagogue (Increases lactation): Geraci, Anna, Vincenza Polizzano, and Rosario Schicchi. "Ethnobotanical uses of wild taxa as galactagogues in Sicily (Italy)." Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae 87, no. 2 (2018).

Hepatic (Supports proper liver function): Mahboubi, Mohaddese; Mahboubi, Mona. Hepatoprotection by dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and mechanisms. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine 10(1):p 1-10, January 2020. | DOI: 10.4103/2221-1691.273081

Laxative (Stimulates the bowel): Akbar, S. (2020). Taraxacum officinale (L.) Weber ex F.H. Wigg (Asteraceae/Compositae). In: Handbook of 200 Medicinal Plants. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16807-0_180

Lithotriptic (Dissolves and eliminates urinary and biliary stones): Yousefi Ghale-Salimi M, Eidi M, Ghaemi N, Khavari-Nejad RA. Inhibitory effects of taraxasterol and aqueous extract of Taraxacum officinale on calcium oxalate crystallization: in vitro study. Ren Fail. 2018 Nov;40(1):298-305. doi: 10.1080/0886022X.2018.1455595. PMID: 29619876; PMCID: PMC6014465.

Lymphatic (Stimulates and cleanses the lymphatic system): Michelini, Sandro, Vincenzo Gasbarro, Marcello Izzo, and Francesco G. Albergati. "Study on the therapeutic efficacy of a polyphitho therapeutic compound in primary and secondary lymphedema." Lymphatic Research and Biology 19, no. 1 (2021): 66-72.

Nephritic (Support proper function of the kidneys): Kültür, Şükran, Bahar Gürdal, Aynur Sari, and Gülay Melikoğlu. "Traditional herbal remedies used in kidney diseases in Turkey: an overview." Turkish Journal of Botany 45, no. 4 (2021): 269-287.

Tonic: Kidney (See nephritic): Kültür, Şükran, Bahar Gürdal, Aynur Sari, and Gülay Melikoğlu. "Traditional herbal remedies used in kidney diseases in Turkey: an overview." Turkish Journal of Botany 45, no. 4 (2021): 269-287.

Tonic: Liver (See hepatic): Mahboubi, Mohaddese; Mahboubi, Mona. Hepatoprotection by dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and mechanisms. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine 10(1):p 1-10, January 2020. | DOI: 10.4103/2221-1691.273081