Dandelion Root

Constituents

The characteristic constituents are sesquiterpenes, including the bitter eudesmanolides tetrahydroridentin B and taraxacolide β-d-glucopyranoside; and the germacranolides, taraxinic acid β-d-glucopyranoside and 11,13-dihydrotaraxic acid β-d-glucopyranoside. Also present are the phydroxyphenylacetic acid derivative, taraxacoside; the triterpenes, taraxasterol, ψ-taraxasterol and taraxerol; and inulin (2–40%)

DANDELION ROOT: COOLING + DOWNWARD + DRYING + OUTWARD

Dandelion root shares Chicory’s bitter family but expresses a different balance.

Physiological pattern

Downward: strong liver–gut elimination; moves stagnation down and out.
Cooling: clears heat from liver, skin, and upper digestion.
Drying: reduces damp heat, puffiness, and congestion.
Outward: vents heat through bile, stool, and sometimes urine.

Somatic feel

A “deep clean” sensation in the liver/gut axis.
Heat leaves the skin and eyes.
Mood irritability (liver heat) drops.

Signature

“The Deep Bitter Descent” — a cleansing, clarifying downward movement.

ARTICLES/STUDIES

A new subtilisin-like proteinase from roots of the dandelion Taraxacum officinale Webb S. L

Identification, quantification, spatiotemporal distribution and genetic variation of major latex secondary metabolites in the common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale agg.).

Study of the lipid fraction of freezedried dandelion root

Further sesquiterpenoids and phenolics from Taraxacumofficinale.Five germacrane- and guaiane-type sesquiterpene lactones, including two previously described taraxinic acid derivatives, were isolated from the roots of Taraxacum officinale, together with benzyl glucoside, dihydroconiferin, syringin and dihydrosyringin. The other three lactones were identified as 11beta, 13-dihydrolactucin, ixerin D and ainslioside. Moreover, the stereochemistry at C-11 in dihydrotaraxinic acid was assigned.

Study: The infusion of dandelion root (Taraxacum officinale) stimulated in vitro the growth of 14 strains of bifidobacteria. The utilization of oligofructans, glucose, fructose and total saccharides was determined by enzymatic and phenol-sulfuric methods. Dandelion oligofructans were important source of carbon and energy for bifidobacteria tested.

These results suggest that the aqueous extract of T. officinale root has protective action against alcohol-induced toxicity in the liver by elevating antioxidative potentials and decreasing lipid peroxidation.

Differential effect of dandelion root extract on hepatic and testicular tissues of rats exposed to ionizing radiation.

Antidepressant

Antidepressant effects of the water extract from Taraxacum officinale leaves and roots in mice.

Anti-Inflammatory

Anti-inflammatory evaluation of the methanolic extract of *Taraxacum officinale* in LPS-stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells

ANTIMICROBIAL

Cancer

Dandelion extract shows potential anticancer activity and is expected to be a new type of natural anti-cancer drug.

Colon Cancer

LEUKEMIA

MELANOMA

Pancreatic Cancer

Dandelion root induces selective apoptosis and autophagy in human pancreatic cancer cells in a dose and time dependent manner.

Cardiovascular

Hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects of dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) root and leaf on cholesterol-fed rabbits.

Colitis

Diabetes

Antidiabetic properties of the root extracts of dandelion and burdock.

Liver

Obesity

Experimental pharmacology

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity

External applications of 2.0 mg/ear of a methanol extract of the dried leaves to mice reduced ear inflammation induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. Intragastric administration of 1.0 g/kg body weight (bw) of a 95% ethanol extract of the whole plant to mice inhibited benzoquinone-induced writhing . Intraperitoneal administration

of 100.0 mg/kg bw of a 95% ethanol extract of the whole plant to mice inhibited carrageenan-induced footpad edema by 42%, and reduced pain as measured by the hot-plate test and benzoquinone-induced writhing. Intragastric administration of 100.0 mg/kg bw of an 80% ethanol extract of the dried roots to rats inhibited carrageenan-induced

footpad oedema by 25%, compared with 45% inhibition resulting from administration of 5.0 mg/kg bw of indometacin.

Antimicrobial activity

A 95% ethanol extract of the dried aerial parts, 1.0 mg/ml, did not inhibit the growth of Bacillus globifer, B. mycoides, B. subtilis, Escherichia coli, Fusarium solani, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Penicillium notatum, Proteus morganii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella gallinarum, Serratia marcescens, Staphylococcus aureus, Mycobacterium smegmatis or Candida albicans in vitro. No antibacterial effects were observed using a 50% ethanol extract of the whole plant, 50 μl/plate, against Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis, Salmonella typhosa, Shigella dysenteriae or Shigella flexneri.

Antiulcer activity

Intragastric administration of 2.0 g/kg bw of an aqueous extract of the whole plant to rats protected the animals against ethanol-induced gastric ulceration. A methanol extract, however, was not active.

Choleretic activity

Intragastric administration of an aqueous or 95% ethanol extract of the whole plant (dose not specified) to rats increased bile secretion by 40%.

Diuretic activity

Intragastric administration of 8.0–50.0 ml/kg bw of a 95% ethanol extract of the whole plant to rats induced diuresis and reduced body weight. Intragastric administration of 0.1 ml/kg bw of a 30% ethanol extract of the whole plant to mice induced diuresis. However, intragastric administration of 50.0 mg/kg bw of a chloroform, methanol or petroleum

ether extract of the roots to mice did not consistently increase urine output.

Hypoglycemic activity

Intragastric administration of a 50% ethanol extract of the whole plant to rats, 250.0 mg/kg bw, or rabbits, 1.0 g/kg bw, reduced blood glucose concentrations. However, intragastric administration of 2.0 g/kg bw of the powdered whole plant to rabbits did not reduce blood sugar concentrations in alloxan-induced hyperglycemia. Intragastric administration of 25.0 mg/kg bw of an aqueous extract of the dried root to mice reduced glucose-induced hyperglycemia. However, a decoction or 80% ethanol extract of the dried roots had no effect.

Immunological effects

Intragastric administration of 3.3 g/kg bw of an aqueous extract of the whole plant to mice daily for 20 days significantly (P < 0.01) decreased cyclophosphamide-induced immune damage. Treatment of scalded mice with suppressed immune functions with an aqueous extract of the whole plant (dose and route not specified) stimulated the immune response. Nitric oxide synthesis inhibition induced by cadmium in mouse peritoneal macrophages stimulated with recombinant interferon-γ and lipopolysaccharide was counteracted by treatment of the cells with an aqueous extract of the whole plant, 100 μg/ml. The results were mainly dependent on the induction of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) secretion stimulated by the aqueous extract. Treatment of primary cultures of rat astrocytes with an aqueous extract of the whole plant, 100.0 μg/ ml, inhibited TNF-α production induced by lipopolysaccharide and substance P. The treatment also decreased the production of interleukin-1 in astrocytes stimulated with lipopolysaccharide and substance P. The study indicated that Radix cum Herba Taraxaci may inhibit TNF-α production

by inhibiting interleukin-1 production, thereby producing anti-inflammatory effects. Treatment of mouse peritoneal macrophages with an aqueous extract of the whole plant, 100 μg/ml, after treatment of the cells with recombinant interferon-γ, resulted in increased nitric oxide synthesis owing to an increase in the concentration of inducible nitric oxide synthase. The results were dependent on the induction of TNF-α secretion by Dandelion root and herb.

Toxicology

The intraperitoneal median lethal dose (LD50) of a 95% ethanol extract of the whole plant in rats was 28.8 mg/kg bw. In rats, the maximum tolerated dose of a 50% ethanol extract of the whole plant administered by the intraperitoneal route was 500.0 mg/kg bw. No visible signs of toxicity were observed in rabbits after intragastric administration of

the powdered whole plant at doses of 3–6 g/kg bw per day for up to 7 days.

(WHO-VOL3 pg 340-342)