Dandelion: Materia Medica
Société Apothecary
SUMMARY Dandelion is not a weed; it is a dynamic, Spring tonic herb, liver tonic, and blood purifier. It is a very powerful diuretic and one of the best natural sources of potassium. It makes an ideally balance diuretic even in cases of water retention due to heart problems and for other urinary disorders. The leaves are also effective lever and digestive tonic. As a cholagogue it may be used in inflammation and congestion of the liver and gall-bladder. It is specific in cases of congestive jaundice. As part of a wider treatment for muscular rheumatism it can be most effective. Its root is often roasted as a coffee substitute. It can be used to make wine and schnapps and added to salads and soups. It contains more Vitamin A then carrots. Dandelion’s combination of being a liver tonic and rich in phytohormones makes it a wonderful herbal tonic for menopausal symptoms like hot flashes. Dandelion greens are enjoyed in springtime and throughout the growing season from April to November, although they are most tender and sweet during the first year of growth and before blossoming, and get progressively more bitter throughout the season. The common name derives from the French 'dent de lion', meaning 'lion's tooth', which refers to the deeply toothed, deep green leaves “It is cold, but drieth more and doth withall clense and open by reason of the bitterness which it hath joined with it…” – John Gerard, 1597 MATERIA MEDICA Latin Binomial: Taraxacum officinale fol. Common Name(s) : Dandelion, Lion's Tooth, Priest's Crown, Wild Endive, Lowball, Cankerwort, Irish Daisy, Monk's head, Swine Snout, Witch Gowan, Yellow Gowan TCM Name : Pu gong ying Ayurvedic Name : Simhadanti Family: Asteraceae Physical Description of the Plant: Perennial with basal leaves that are spatulate to lanceolate, and deeply toothed. The stalks are hollow and leak a milky latex when broken. Each stalk holds one flower. What look like tiny petals on the yellow flower head are actually individual flowers themselves called florets. Roots are thick and unbranched. Habitat: Found in a very wide variety of habitats, but tend to thrive best in disturbed sites such as lawns, paths, waste ground, pastures and road verges. Some microspecies are found in natural or semi-natural habitats, including fens, sand dunes and chalk grassland Harvest and Collection: The roots are best collected between early summer and late summer when they are at their bitterest. Split longitudinally before drying. The leaves may be collected any time. Dandelion is produced commercially in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, the former Yugoslavia, and the United Kingdom. However, dandelion grows practically everywhere, and is wild collected in a variety of climates, even in the Himalayas up to about 12,000 feet, where it is often gathered for use in Ayurvedic medicine (the traditional healing system of India). Dandelion will grow anywhere, but will produce more substantial roots in moist, rich, deep soil. Pharmacopeial grade dandelion leaf is composed of the dried leaves collected before flowering and the root collected in autumn or whenever its inulin content is the highest. Parts of the Plant Used: Entire Plant Qualities: Chemical Constituents: Glycosides Triterpenoids Choline Potassium Carotenoids Iron Vitamins A, B, C, D Tannins Sterols Asparagin Inulin Volatile Oil Flavanoids Boron Calcium Magnesium Manganese Phosphorus Coumarins Phenolic acids Taraxocoside Taste: Bitter, slight sweet, slightly salty. Actions: Alterative Anti-Bilious Anti-rheumatic Anti-inflammatory (root) Anti-lithic Aperient Bitter Cholagogue Diuretic/Aquaretic Hepatic Laxative Tonic Promotes bile flow Mild laxative (root) Indications: Arthritis/Rheumatism Constipation Digestive complaints Fluid retention from premenstrual syndrome, heart failure, or high blood pressure Gallbladder problems Gout - encourages excretion of uric acid Liver disorders To aid weight reduction Whites juice from stems can help remove corns, calluses, and warts Stimulates bile production Contraindications/Cautions: Call your health care practitioner if you experience skin irritation when using dandelion. Dandelion can cause: blockage for the digestive or biliary tract, gallbladder inflammation, gallstones. Don't use while pregnant or breastfeeding. Drug Interactions: Don't use dandelion while taking: diuretics, drugs that lower blood pressure, drugs that lower blood sugar. Dosage: Leaf: Liquid Extract 6-11.5 ml of 1:1 LE / day 40-80mls of 1:1 LE / week Dried Herb Equivalent (by infusion): 12-30 grams per day Root: Root tincture: 2-5 mL 3x/day (1:5 in 60%). Root decoction: 2-3 teaspoons simmered in water for 10-15 minutes 3x/day Leaf tincture: 5-10 mL 3x/day (1:5 in 50%). Infusion: 1-2 teaspoons dried leaf infused in 1 cup hot water for 15 minutes, 3x/day. Combinations: For liver and gall bladder problems it may be use with couch grass or yarrow. Energetics: Bitter, drying, and cooling. Folklore: The use of dandelion was first recorded in writing in the Tang Materia Medica (659 B.C.E.), and then later noted by Arab physicians in the 10th century. In the United States, various indigenous cultures considered dandelion to be a prized edible, a gastrointestinal aid, a cleansing alterative, and a helpful poultice or compress. The Bella Coola from Canada made a decoction of the roots to assuage gastrointestinal challenges; the Algonquian ate the leaves for their alterative properties and also used them externally as a poultice. Additionally, the Aleut steamed leaves and applied them topically to sore throats. The Cherokee believed the root to be an alterative as well and made a tea of the plant (leaves and flowers) for calming purposes. It is interesting to note that dandelion was used by the Iroquois as well. They made a tea of the whole plant, and also considered it be an alterative tonic. In the southwestern U.S., in Spanish speaking communities practicing herbalism, dandelion is called 'chicoria' or 'diente de leon.' Flower Essence: I AM essence of the sun aligning the liver and gallbladder systems with clear and healthy functioning. Use Dandelion Flower Essence when you have problems with your liver or gallbladder, or experience old anger and rage that are turned outward towards others or inward towards yourself. Use Dandelion Essence when you have difficulty planning and organizing your life