Dandelion

A dandelion is a short plant. The flower head is usually yellow in color and has notched leaves.

It is native to Europe and Asia, and has spread to many other places.

In northern areas and places where this plant grows it is considered a weed.

The Chinese variety differs slightly from the Western variety, but both have with similar medicinal properties. The plant's root is characterized as being bitter, sweet, and cold.

TARGET AILMENTS

Take internally for:

* hepatitis, jaundice, and other liver conditions.

* poor lactation in nursing mothers.

* painful and difficult urination.

* red, painful, swollen eyes.

* a balance diuretic in cases of water retention due to heart problems.

Use both internally and topically for:

* abscesses, boils, carbuncles, and sores, particularly on the breast.

* can be used in treatment for muscular rheumatism.

PREPARATIONS

Over the counter:

Available in tinctures, prepared tea, capsules, and dried or fresh leaves or roots.

At home:

Tea: Prepare by steeping 1 tablespoon dried or 2 teaspoons of fresh leaves per cup of boiling water for 10 minutes. Drink as many as 4 cups a day.

Nutrition and diet: Add fresh leaves to a salad, or blend in a juicer with other green vegetables. Use with barberry for liver and gallbladder problems. Use with yarrow for water retention.

Preparation and Dosage

Decoction: Put 2 to 3 teaspoons of the fresh or dried root into one cup of water and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Drink as many as 4 times a day.

Tincture: Take 5-10ml of the tincture 3 times a day.

Combinations: For liver and gall-bladder problems it may be used with Couchgrass or Yarrow.

Mixed with trichosanthes fruit, fritillaria, and myrrh, the root can be applied to breast abscesses, carbuncles, and furuncles.

Dandelion blended with chrysanthemum flower and skullcap is used to treat red, swollen eyes. A preparation containing dandelion and honeysuckle flower is prescribed for painful, deep-rooted boils.

Part Used: Root or leaf

Collection: It is best to collect the roots between early summer and late summer when they are at their bitterest. Split longitudinally before drying. The leaves may be collected at any time.

Actions: Diuretic, anti-rheumatic, laxative, tonic.

SIDE EFFECTS: Overdoses of this plant can cause mild diarrhea; and some preparations using the Chinese root may cause heartburn.

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