In Liver Disease - Dandelion

Author: Dean Rouseberg Time for reading: ~1 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022

It can be taken as a salad, in the form of extracts or powders, or even as a coffee substitute.

While most people think that dandelion is just an annoying weed in vegetable and orchard gardens, herbalists know that it is a valuable plant - both as a food and as a medicine. Dandelion contains vitamins A, C, D, some B vitamins, iron, potassium and zinc. Its leaves flavor salads , sandwiches and teas. Curiously, however, there is something else - the roots are used as a substitute for coffee , and the flowers - in the production of some varieties of wine .

As for its strictly medical use, dandelion has been used for a long time for the treatment of biliary and liver diseases. Only a few decades ago, modern pharmacology and chemical analysis were able to explain why it is effective in treating liver disease. This is due to a group of compounds called sesquiterpene lactones. They relax the smooth muscles of the bile ducts and have an analgesic effect in gallstones and crises.

The medicinal properties of dandelion are not limited to this. Dandelion also contains substances with a bitter taste that stimulate appetite in a neurolefractive way - the irritation of bitter receptors located on the surface of the tongue, excites the center of hunger in the brain. Appetite-boosting properties of fresh and dried herbs are perfectly combined with its mild laxative and digestive action. Anorexia and indigestion, by the way, are the hallmarks of most liver diseases .

Preliminary studies have shown that dandelion may also have some antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory effects. However, data have only been obtained from preclinical studies, so whether they are clinically relevant remains highly speculative.

For definitively confirmed conditions, dandelion can be taken according to any of the following exemplary schemes:

Dried leaves: 1 - 2 tablespoons pour hot water and leave to soak for 5 - 10 minutes. The infusion can be drunk up to three times a day.
Dried roots: ½ - 2 tablespoons soak in hot water for 5 - 10 minutes. It must be drunk after straining, up to 3 times a day.

Dried leaves, roots, as well as finished or semi-finished products from them - tinctures and standardized powders, are freely available in pharmacies and drugstores.

Although dandelion is considered a safe herb, it is necessary to consult a relaxing pharmacist before use for possible interactions and contraindications.

In Liver Disease - Dandelion

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