Thanks to the pleasant scent emanating from its yellow-green flowers gathered in complex umbels, dandelion is easily distinguishable from the poisonous hemlock, to which it bears resemblance. Dandelion roots contain tannins, phytosterols, organic acids, coumarins, and essential oils: pinene, thymol, borneol, fellandrene, and free alcohols.
Harvesting and Preparation The roots should be harvested when the fruits ripen, washed, and cut into longitudinal sections, then dried either in a dryer or in open air. The inflorescences should be dried by tying them into bundles for easier threshing of the seeds. Dried dandelion roots and seeds are stored in tightly sealed containers, avoiding moisture. Particular caution should be exercised with the plant sap, which contains furanocoumarins capable of causing photodermatitis: redness of the skin and blistering.
Application In medicinal plants, young roots and inflorescences are used to make powders, infusions, and decoctions. Dandelion has antispasmodic and sedative effects, relieves spasms of the abdominal organs, and extracts prepared from dandelion have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Preparations from this plant help with digestive disorders, including flatulence, bloating, belching, and slow digestion. Medications can have diverse pharmacological effects due to the presence of essential oils and coumarins. These effects include sedative action, the ability to increase secretion from digestive glands, reduce fermentation processes in the intestines, and enhance gastrointestinal motility. Additionally, dandelion provides a calming and toning effect on the cardiovascular system. Externally, dandelion infusions are applied for rheumatism, gout, earaches, and toothaches. According to studies, substances found in dandelion sap have anti-inflammatory properties.
Contraindications After taking medications, it is not recommended to be exposed to direct sunlight to avoid photodermatitis, which manifests as a rash. Pregnant women and women with uterine bleeding should refrain from taking the medications, as dandelion has a direct effect on the uterus.
Home Remedies
- For arthritis, dilute chopped dandelion roots in vodka at a ratio of 1:10, and rub the affected joints with the resulting mixture.
- To combat insomnia, take 15 g of roots and steep them in a cup of hot water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes, then consume the decoction before bedtime by the tablespoon.
- For bronchitis, steep 15 g of roots in 250 ml of water, boil for about 15 minutes, and take 1 tablespoon three times a day.
- For digestive disorders and intestinal spasms and pain, take 20 g of roots and steep them in a liter of water, let it infuse for 2 hours, then consume 200 ml three times a day.
- For rheumatism, take baths prepared with a liter of water and 100 g of dried root, boil for 15 minutes, strain, and add the liquid to the bath. The course of treatment should consist of a minimum of 10 baths.
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For colitis, gastritis, diseases of the pancreas, nervous disorders, and insomnia, take 15 g of dandelion roots and steep them in a cup of boiling water, let it infuse for 2 hours. Take the medicine three times a day, two tablespoons each time.
- For kidney and bladder diseases, steep 15 g of dried dandelion roots in two cups of boiling water for 8-10 hours, then drink twice a day, 100 ml each time.
- The following decoction has antispasmodic and expectorant effects: take 10 g of dandelion roots and steep them in a cup of boiling water, take 120 ml three times a day after meals.
- For gout, rheumatism, and radiculitis, steep 1 tablespoon of chopped dandelion roots in a cup of alcohol for a week, then strain and take 40 drops three times a day.
- As a diuretic, take a decoction of dandelion seeds: steep a tablespoon of raw material in two cups of boiling water for about 10 minutes, then cool. Take the medicine in 100 ml doses five times a day, adding 1 teaspoon of honey.
- For toothache, take 1 teaspoon of dandelion root and steep it in 150 ml of water, boil for about five minutes, then strain and use the prepared solution to rinse the mouth.
- For otitis, instill 3 drops of dandelion root juice into the affected ear twice a day.
- For pancreatitis and jaundice, drink a teaspoon of dandelion root juice three times a day.
- To treat purulent diseases, boil 150 g of dandelion roots in a liter of water for 15 minutes, strain, and pour into a bath with warm water. Repeat the procedure every day for half an hour.
- Dandelion root juice applied to a sore tooth can help alleviate toothache.