One of the keys to health is keeping your body's largest organ in good condition. Your liver performs over 500 critical tasks, including metabolizing food and manufacturing hormones, proteins and enzymes. It also filters toxins, such as chemical and environmental pollutants, from the bloodstream. Teas such as dandelion, dan shen and schisandra are longtime herbal remedies employed to prevent and treat liver conditions. Talk with your physician before treating a health condition with tea.
Schisandra
Schisandra, or schizandra, is one of the most prized Chinese tonic herbs. Traditional Asian medicine practitioners use the tea made from the plant's dried berries as a longevity tonic. It is an herbal adaptogen, which is a plant that helps your immune system deal successfully with external stressors. According to Merrily A. Kuhn, Ph.D., author of the 2007 book "Winston & Kuhn's Herbal Therapy and Supplements," schisandra tea is known for its protective and regenerative effects for the liver. An anti-inflammatory herb, it can also assist in repairing a liver damaged by viruses. Ask your physician which herbal remedies are appropriate for you.
Dan Shen
Dan shen, or salvia root, is another liver protectant. Tea made from the root improves circulation and general liver function. John and Tina Chen, authors of "Chinese Medical Herbology and Pharmacology," point to one research study analyzing dan shen's effect on induced liver disease. Dan shen decreased liver enzymes in mice treated with the carcinogen carbon tetrachloride. Lowered enzymes demonstrated reduced stress on the treated animals' livers in relation to the control group. Additionally, it can be helpful for hepatomegaly, or enlarged liver, and liver cell renewal. Dan shen tea should only be used under the supervision of a qualified health care professional.
Dandelion
Dandelion root tea is one of the top herbal liver tonics, writes clinical herbalist Susan S. Weed in her 2003 volume, "Wise Woman Herbal: Healing Wise." According to Weed, common liver stressors include alcohol, rich food, pregnancy, hepatitis and chemotherapy. Dandelion root tea eases stress on the liver by promoting the production and discharge of bile, or digestive juices. According to a 2010 research study published in the "Journal of Ethnopharmacology," dandelion root extract prevented liver scarring, or hepatic fibrosis, in mice. It also exhibited an ability to regenerate liver tissue, notes the author, R. Domintrovic, Ph.D. It is not advisable to attempt to treat your medical condition with dandelion root tea.
Safety and Considerations
If you are pregnant or nursing, avoid using dan shen tea. While dandelion root tea is generally safe, it is a diuretic and may dilute the amount of prescription medicine in your blood, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC. In addition, dandelion has shown an ability to increase the side effects of lithium. In the case of schisandra tea, the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center reports that while no notable drug interactions have occurred, the herb may depress the central nervous system and induce heartburn.
References
- "Journal of Ethnopharmacology"; Antifibrotic Activity of Taraxacum Officinale Root in Carbon Tetrachloride-induced Liver Damage in Mice; R. Domintrovic, et al.; August 2010
- "Winston & Kuhn's Herbal Therapy and Supplements: A Scientific and Traditional Approach"; Merrily A. Kuhn, et al.; 2007
- "Chinese Medical Herbology and Pharmacology"; John Chen and Tina Chen; 2004
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Schisandra
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Dandelion
