Dandelions, the bright yellow flowering plants that grow abundantly in many parts Europe and North America, have been used for years in both food and medicine. Also known as blowball, Irish daisy, puffball, wild endive and cakerwort, according to Purdue University's College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, the dandelion can grow in many soil conditions and is often considered a weed.
Cancer
According to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, dandelion root has been shown to have some anti-cancer and anti-tumor properties in laboratory studies, but this hasn't yet been proven conclusively in humans. Some studies, according to Memorial Sloan-Kettering, have found that dandelion root can help fight colon cancer, melanoma and leukemia.
Diuretic
Dandelion root has been historically used as a diuretic in traditional folk medicine. In a small 2009 study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, researchers from the Department of Herbal Medicine at the Tai Sophia Institute in Laurel, Md., found that ingesting dandelion root significantly increased both the frequency and amount of urination. According to Memorial Sloan-Kettering, this might be because of the root's high potassium content. However, the Tai Sophia researchers say that further study is needed.
Liver and Kidney Disease
According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, or the NCCAM, dandelion root has been used historically as a treatment for liver and kidney disease. Today, says the NCCAM, it is still used in liver and kidney tonics -- or liquid concoctions used to cleanse to the liver or kidney. The NCCAM cautions that there's no solid medical evidence that supports dandelion root's use in this manner.
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