Dandelion, herbal medicine

Dandelion, or common dandelion, scientific name Taraxacum officinale, is a plant of the Asteraceae family. It is widespread in gardens and meadows and is characterized by elongated leaves with a toothed margin and by a beautiful yellow flower that matures into spherical seed heads called blowballs or clocks, consisting of single-seeded fruits attached to a pappus of fine hairs that are carried by the wind and make possible to disperse easily the seeds of the plant. The dandelion is a very interesting and powerful remedy. In fact, thanks to its well-known and appreciated purifying properties on liver and kidney, modern herbal medicine makes extensive use of leaves and roots of dandelion as a very efficient treatment. The dandelion has indeed cholagogue properties, namely it is able to stimulate the production of bile and to improve the liver function, this remedy has also a detoxifying, diuretic and digestive action, it is also slightly laxative and decreases the levels of blood sugar. The latter effect has also been the subject of scientific studies, for example, you can refer to the research published in 2016 in the journal The Review of the Diabetic Studies (Fonyuy et al). Given these properties, dandelion is indicated to counteract digestive problems, aerophagia, meteorism, constipation, but also rheumatism, gout, heaviness, high blood sugar levels, water retention, cellulite and excess of cholesterol. In addition to this, dandelion helps reduce acne when connected to liver fatigue. We have already seen in a previous post how you can eat dandelion in salad or as a decoction using its roots, but today we will see another way, perhaps easier, to take this beneficial plant, the mother tincture. In herbalist’s or chemist’s shops you can buy dandelion mother tincture, you can take 50 drops from 1 to 3 times a day in a little water. This mother tincture works in synergy with the mother tincture of Cynara scolymus, the artichoke, and with the mother tincture of Fumaria officinali, or common fumitory, in order to enhance the hepatoprotective and purifying effect. Ask your doctor for advice during pregnancy and breastfeeding or if you are taking medications to avoid possible interactions, the remedy should be avoided in case of biliary colic.