Taraxacum Officinale

TARAXACUM OFFICINALE

Taraxacum Officinale is commonly known as Kanphool, Kukraundha and Dandelion. The plant is a perennial herb and is eaten as a vegetable. The plant grows up to the height of 30cm and has sharp leaves. The fleshy stem of the herb is hollow and has a single bright yellow colored flower.
The seeds of the plant are topped by a tuft. The flower heads are devoid of receptacle bracts. The flower of the herb is bisexual and ligulate. The fruits of Taraxacum Officinale are produced mainly through apomixes.
The dandelion is a common weed and is known to have significantly affected various agricultural fields.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TAXACUM OFFICUINALE

The name of the plant comes from the French work Dent le lion which means lion’s tooth which is a metaphor for the dentate leaf edges of the plant. This plant grows wildly and is native to Europe. In India it is found all around the Himalayan range from 300 to almost 5400 meters.
The major parts of the plant that are used is the root as well as the leaves. The root is majorly collected in autumn or in peak summer. The young leaves of the plant are picked in the season of spring and are dried for infusions. These dried leaves are also used in capsules and for drinkable extracts.

The Dandelion has numerous English names such as blowball, cankerwort, milk witch, faceclock, swines snout, wild endive, white endive, yellow gowan, Iirish Daisy and monks head.

THERAPEUTIC POWERS OF TARAXACUM OFFICUINALE

The plant is known to have high medicinal value. It has been mentioned for its reliever properties in Arabian medical history records, Welsh Manuscripts and English Herbal literature written in the 17th century. The plants roots have been used by renowned herbalists as a tonic. It is known to increase secretion and urine. It also acts a placid purgative.
The root of the Dandelion is a registered drug in Canada and is primarily sold as a diuretic. The hepatoprotective effect of the plant is also known widely. It is also used as a mild laxative. The plant is also used to improve digestion and in increasing appetite. The milky latex that is extracted from the plant is used to relieve warts and as a mosquito repellant.
Dye colors yellow and green are obtained from the flowers of the plant. The caterpillars are also fed this herb.

NUTRIENT COMPOSITION

The dandelion is known to be of remarkable medicinal value and is rich in iron. It contains magnesium, calcium, sodium, potassium and Vitamin C. A research showed that the plant also contains protein, carbohydrates and fat. The herb also contains mineral and vitamins also. The calorific value of the plant is 45.

The Dandelion contains a crystalline substance called taraxacerin. It also contains other chemical compounds such as phytosterols, humotaraxasterol and taraxasterol.

CARE FOR AILMENTS

The Dandelion is used to relieve various ailments such as:

• Bone Disorders: The high content of organic magnesium in the plant makes it very good for relieving bone disorders. The juice of the leave with carrot or turnip is used to relieve bone ailments.
• Liver and Gall Bladder ailments: Taraxacum Officinale is beneficial for relieving liver and bladder problems. It plays an important role in handling fat levels in the body. It also has properties that help in flushing toxins out of the body. Tea made of Dandelion is known for its benefits.
• General Debility: Taraxacum Officinale is a general body tonic that supports the waste disposal function of the human body. It helps in bowel movement and improves skin conditions.
• Urinary disorders: Dandelion Tea is used to relieve urinary dysfunctions. The tea of the plant is made from its flowers, fresh leaves and buds.
• Warts: Milk extracted from the cut of the Taraxacum Officinale if applied on warts is benefiting.

The dandelion is used as a natural beverage and an additive flavor in coffee.

SAFETY AND PRECAUTION TIPS FOR USING THE HERB

It is advised to be used only after consulting a certified medical herbalist. The plant should not be used to improve secretion of bile as this may lead to serious blockage conditions of the bile duct.

PLANET AYURVEDA PRODUCTS THAT USE THIS HERB

Presently we do not have any product that contains the herb Taraxacum Officinale. However, the best substitute for the same from the house of Planet Ayurveda is the Rencure Formula and the Punarnava Mandur tablets.