The humble dandelion, botanically known as Taraxacum officinale, is a familiar sight throughout much of North America in meadows, roadsides and lawns. Yet this common annual weed is actually a powerhouse of phytonutrients, antioxidant plant pigments, vitamins and essential minerals. Herbalists and natural healers have long advised dandelion tea to detoxify the liver and increase bile production and flow. Although clinical research is lacking, laboratory and animal studies support the beneficial effects of dandelion on the liver. Consult your doctor before using dandelion tea.
Features
Dandelions -- indigenous to Europe and Asia and presently cultivated in France and Germany -- thrive as an annual weed in temperate climates virtually worldwide. The dark green leaves, which may either be deeply notched or smooth-edged, are arranged in a rosette pattern; characteristic sunshine-yellow flowers develop into tufted seeds. Fresh dandelion leaves are eaten as a salad green, while the roots may be roasted and used to make a coffee-like beverage. The first recorded medicinal use of dandelion was by Arab physicians in the tenth century. Dandelion has also been employed in Traditional Chinese Medicine as a tonic for the liver and gallbladder, and it has been used in folk medicine to treat heartburn, rheumatism, gout, diabetes, constipation and cancer. Blue Shield Complementary and Alternative Health notes that present-day herbalists advise dandelion
to improve decreased liver function due to alcohol abuse or inadequate nutrition.
Constituents and Effects
Dandelions contain 14,000 IU of beta-carotene -- or pro-vitamin A -- in every 100 g, a level that exceeds that of carrots. They also contain linoleic, linolenic and oleic acids and the minerals potassium, iron, calcium and magnesium; vitamin D and antioxidant vitamin C are present as well. Other constituents include terpenoids and triterpenes -- including the compounds taraxol and taraxerol -- along with luteolin, apigene, and the anti-inflammatory agent beta-sitosterol.
Drugs.com credits dandelion with analgesic, stimulant, tonic, laxative and detoxifying effects, and reports that the use of dandelion to treat hepatitis is supported by clinical studies. The website adds that sesquiterpenes in dandelion can cause increases in bile secretion. According to Fatty Liver, this can increase fat metabolism within the body, leading in turn to an increase in liver function.
Research
Laboratory research supports a variety of dandelion's beneficial effects on the liver, including the possible ability to inhibit liver cancer cells. In a study published in 2004 in "Life Sciences," researchers found that extracts from dandelion decreased the viability of liver cancer cells in vitro by 26 percent, while increasing levels of the infection-fighting cytokines TNF-alpha and interleukin.
Usage and Considerations
To brew dandelion tea, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 to 2 tsp. of dried dandelion leaves. Steep for 10 minutes, then strain and cool. Dandelion is recognized as generally safe when used as a food; however, BSCAH cautions against using it if you have gallstones or obstruction of the bile ducts. Adverse effects from dandelion are usually minor and include contact dermatitis and mild diarrhea. Dandelion tea may interact with prescription medications. Consult your doctor before using dandelion tea. Don't use dandelion tea if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
References
- Drugs.com: Complete Dandelion Information
- Blue Shield Alternative and Complementary Health: Dandelion
- "Life Sciences"; Taraxacum Officinale Induces Cytotoxicity Through TNF-Alpha and IL-1Alpha Secretion in Hep G2 Cells; H.N. Koo, et al.; January 2004
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; Dandelion; Staff; 2011
- Fatty Liver; Fatty Liver and Dandelion; Mark Bar-Gomel, M.D., 2010
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