MEDICINE FROM MOTHER EARTH: TARRAXACUM OFFICINALE , DANDELION

The folklore of Dandelion states that if you can blow all the seeds away in one blow than you are truly loved and if not, this magical flower wishes you to look further for your true love.  It is said as well that if you wish to send a message to a loved one, blow the whispy wishes towards their direction and visualize the seeds carrying the message to them in the wind. Another legend states that if you do not know the time of day, blow three times and the number of seeds left on the flower top will be the correct hour of the day. The final legend that has been told is if you wish to find out how long you will live, blow the seeds away with one blow and the amount of seeds left on the head of the flower will be the amount of decades in your lifetime.  The spiritual powers this medicine can bring are that of divination, wishes, and the calling of spirits. A decoction of its roots will bring energy similar to a cup of coffee while it's infusion can provide psychic powers. It is ruled by the element of air which makes total sense, and by the planet Jupiter, the planet that rules spiritual expansion, jovialness and connection with universal truth (1). 

Dandelion stood out to me as a child, as probably like lots of children, it was one of the first plants I could recognize and name and it's whispy wishes that would blow through the air brought me such incredible joy as I watched them fly away. This flower was so magical to me then and still today, and especially even more today, as now I have learned the sacredity of these "weeds", their powers and the medicine inherent within them.  I feel blessed to know the innate wisdom within me has always known something was special about them and I have felt deeply connected to the energy of this plant for as long as I can remember. Taraxacum officinale is the latin botanical name for Dandelion which is a member of the Asteraceae botanical family. Both the root and leaf are used for medicinal purposes while the yellow flower provides beauty and then the flower turns to whispy white delicate seeds and wishes that provide some sort of incredible magic to the ones willing to connect with those aspects of this reality. For this project, I will be using the root however Dandelion leaves can also be used as both a food and as a medicine. Truly, food and medicine are not separate entities and The Father of Medicine, Hippocrates, stated this a long time ago: Let thy food be thy medicine. Its leaves can easily be added to a salad throughout the spring and summer and this also provides lots of health benefits beyond the filling of the belly :) .  Many vitamins and minerals are present in Dandelion such as potassium, iron, zinc, calcium and silicon, and Vitamins A, B, C and D. The leaves of Taraxacum off. are one of the best sources of potassium and thus aide in balancing the body's sodium-potassium levels which are crucial for the proper functioning of all parts of our body at a cellular level.  The leaves, made into a tea infusion or eaten in a salad, can therefore create a powerful diuretic action in the body especially if the sodium and potassium concentrations are imbalanced, and sodium will be excreted from the body with the urine.  This is especially great for any women that hold water weight before or during the time of their menses and for those who eat the typical North American diet, as there is far too much sodium consumed so this provides support for that imblance. Dandelion root is popular for its hepatic, cholagogue, diuretic, laxative and anti-inflammatory actions.  These are botanical medicine terms meaning that the root of this plant medicine acts directly on the liver and gallbladder to maintain their proper functioning, help support digestion (especially of fats), keeps the liver strong and healthy and therefore clears the blood for optimal health in the body. Any excess sodium retention will be released and the bowels will evacuate for optimal health. In total, any pathological pathway that creates disease in the body has the main source being that of inflammation and therefore the action of being an anti-inflammatory medicine is multifactorial and always immensely beneficial for health within the body.  The botanical actions of this plant are due mostly to the botanical constituents within the root called sesquiterpene lactones, a form of a saponin, and other di- and tri- terpenes, specifically having the unique constituent names of: Taraxacin, Taraxacoside, and Taraxasterol, along with other sterols, specifically stigmasterol and beta-sitosterol.  The most prominent action of the root being that Dandelion root stimulates the liver to purify the blood while providing anti-inflammatory benefits so that the detoxification pathways of the body become hugely supported and the leaf works on the kidneys with its diuretic action, clearing, cleansing and supporting the kidney pathways. This medicine therefore is a safe and strong support for two of the body's most important detoxifying systems. According to RF Weiss, this medicine is one of the top medicines for anyone with any form of pain, specifically and especially of any form of rheumatism (2). Taraxacum off. is highly recommended for anyone that has any liver or gallbladder issues, any blood disorders or anyone that has consumed too much of any sort of toxic substance ranging from alcohol to cigarettes to illicit substances and junk foods.  For those who just genuinely care about optimal health and functioning of their body, this medicine is wonderful for a spring cleanse and for the late fall preparation for winter hibernation. This medicine detoxifies the body, plain and simple. In supporting the liver, it purifies the skin and therefore is highly beneficial to anyone suffering from skin eruptions of any form: acne, rashes, eczema or psoriasis.  There may be contra-indications to anyone sensitive to plants in the Asteraceae family and as there is bitter properties of this plant, anyone with GI inflammation or hyperacidity should be careful.  Because of the bitter principles in this plant, the simple taste of bitter stimulates the Vagal nerve, which is Cranial Nerve 10, and allows for the body to immediately be placed into it's parasympathic nervous system so anyone with anxiety would also benefit from this plant medicine and as stimulation of the Vagal nerve stimulates the digestive system to start excreting it's digestive juices, food should be consumed within 30-45 mins of a cup of its decocted root.

Botanical Monograph of Taraxacum officinale:

Family: Asteraceae

Parts used: Root, Leaf     

Harvest: Ethical harvesting of the leaf throughout the spring and summer.  If gardening and digging up this plant, take the root otherwise if harvesting the root, it is absolutely improper to harvest this medicine until the mid-late fall, after its flower has gone to seed and spread with the wind. Always give good tobacco to the plant medicines, with dry tobacco leaf dropped over them before harvest. Many ancient cultures recognized the gift of tobacco for a medicine. First Nations people around the world do this, specifically the First Nations of North America who believe the medicines are their ancestors. Harvest with love and gratitude, if the medicine resists you, do not apply any extra force, move to another, if it seems difficult, this medicine is telling you it is not for you. Pay attention.

Constituents:  Saponins: Sesquiterpene lactones: Taraxacoside

Diterpenes: Taraxacin  

Triterpenes: Taraxasterol, Arnindiol, Feradiol, Beta-amyrin

Sterols: Stigmasterol, Beta-sitosterol

Carotenoids: Luteolin, Violaxanthin, Xantophyllis

Flavonoids: Apigenin, Luteolin, Polysaccarides, Potassium

Actions: Root: Hepatic, Cholagogue, Bitter, Laxative, Anti-inflammatory, Alterative

               Leaf: Diuretic, source of potassium, Anti-inflammatory, Anti-rheumatic

Uses:  

• Best diuretic for congestive heart failure and any form of edema 

• Muscle tension due to mineral imbalances

• Replenishes potassium to the body and balances electrolytes

• General nutritive

• Kidney or Liver dis-ease or failure

• Alterative --> clears the blood, therefore any form of rheumatism, fever, inflammation

• Skin issues: acne, rashes, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis

Contraindications: Latex in stem can create a contact dermatitis. Caution/DNU in Pregnancy, Lactation, Infanthood. DNU in severe or end-stage kidney disease due to high potassium. Possibly allergic reaction with anyone sensitive to the Asteraceae family. Bitter action therefore careful with any -itises of the GI tract

Tincture, Tea and Dose:  Root: 4-8 ml (1:5 in 60%) TID   decoction: 3 tsps in 1 cup TID

                                        Leaf: 5-10 ml (1:5 in 40%) TID   infusion: 2 tsps in 1 cup TID

The purpose of my project is to identify, harvest, prepare and drink the decoction of the root of Taraxacum off. and note what occurs within my body. I primarily focused on the hepatic and purifying actions of Taraxacum off. and therefore noted difference along the lines of detoxification. 

Identifying and Harvesting:

Identifying Dandelion is simple as most people are aware of this plant from an early age however there is a FALSE DANDELION so be careful!!  Dandelion is a perennial and can be found nearly anywhere. In early spring, there is a single bright yellow flower with green leaves that are oblong with jagged edges which grow close to the ground in a rosette pattern. The leaves are smooth to touch but not waxy. The stems of the flowers are hollow and often leak a milky liquid when pinched or cut. There is always one flower per stem that open and closes with the sun and if the weather turns dull and the sun fades, the flower head will close.  By mid-summer and nearing fall, the flower changes to seed and yellow is no longer present. In seed form, Dandelion's 'flower' turns to look like white whispy parachutes a-top a stem that are easily blown away.  It is improper form to harvest this root until after the flower has seeded so I did this project in October in British Columbia, Canada. I learned from my First Nations friends that if you are to harvest any medicine, you must make an offering to the Medicine Spirit and give some good tobacco so I went and bought a pack of American Spirit. I identified the proper Taraxacum off. and  broke open the cigarette to give it to the medicine then I smoked a few puffs and blew it around the medicine before I dug up three large roots with a little garden shovel and said a quiet thank you to Mother Earth for her medicine. I brought the roots inside and washed them off in some water to remove the dirt then set them aside in my kitchen, away from direct sunlight, to dry for 2 weeks.  There is a dark and thin layer around the root that I then peeled away with a thin knife to unveil a root very light in colour, somehow reminding me of a natural form of a marshmallow. I then cut the roots into small pieces after this.

Medicine Making:

My method of analysis for this project is to drink 1 cup of tea, a decoction of it's roots, every morning for five days straight and note any change of how I felt, physically, mentally, emotionally and or spiritually. Since I decided to start this after Canadian Thanks Giving, I fasted the day before my first cup of Dandelion root tea to make sure my body was somewhat normal and healthy and no longer over-flooded from food. During the five days of drinking this tea, I kept my diet as normal and healthy as I usually would to not have any of the effects taking place occurring from other sources such as all of a sudden eating healthier.  There is strong evidence of the connection between taste, the brain and the effects that occur in the body and the digestive system specifically so I made sure to allow myself to taste this medicine as I drank it.

For my decoction, I looked to Hoffman's book Medical Herbalism (3) which recommended using 3 teaspoons of dried root per 1 cup of water. I tried to find out how many grams this should be and I decided to make my testing more precise so that I would use 15 grams, measured on a proper kitchen scale, for 1 cup of tea. I put the root into cold water and brought it to a gentle rolling boil with the lid on, I then turned the stove to minimal heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes as a proper decoction of a root is made this way. I then let it cool a bit and removed the lid, the water was slightly brown and surprisingly smelled nutty and good. I strained out the used root and put it back into the meadow where it belonged and drank my first decoction. It did not taste so bad. It is definitely bitter and it is definitely a medicine, there is no doubt about that, and something about it made me grin thinking some form of intelligent creator made this medicine taste like this so that it wasn't too bad for the palate, but also not totally appealing as then our primates would have probably used it too much.

Observations of 5 days of tea of decocted root of Taraxacum Officinale:

Day 1:  Decoction is slightly brown, smells pleasantly nutty and tastes not too bad actually, there is definitely a bitter principle present however it's mild and nutty and could easily be drunk regularly. 45 minutes post consumption, my stomach is speaking with me, it is time to eat. I definitely can tell this has stimulated my hunger and digestive system with the first cup. I watch for any diuretic action, although this is mostly due to consuming the leaves and I have only used the root. I also watch for any laxative action. By the end of the day, I have noticed nothing more than appetite stimulation.

Day 2: I do not notice anything thus far. I take my second cup at the same time in the morning (10 am). I am grateful for this medicine. I without a doubt get hungry 45 minutes post consumption. I notice today that my sweat smells however I have also gone from being an athlete to becoming a student and I have sat for the past 4 months straight so I can not say if this is due to this tea or not. I am definitely not sweating more than usual though. I do believe I was thirstier for water today.

Day 3: Still I do not notice anything unusual. I did seem to have a slight stomach ache tonight. 

Day 4: My bowel movements have not changed. I am not taking therapeutic dose of this tea however; that would be one cup three times a day. I do feel a little lighter, in all ways (physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually). I believe this must be because my digestive system has been giving a boast. Again, my body odour smells strong, perhaps this is because of the alternative actions of this medicine? I was definitely thirstier than normal today.

Day 5: My digestive system feels like it is working better than usual, my bowel movements have always been healthy and regular however they feel even better than normal. I do feel lighter and happier. I am again thirstier than average and I believe my eyes seem to be a bit more shiny that normal. I believe I had a deeper sleep last night as well.

Findings and Suggestions:

Spiritually and emotionally, I felt uplifted, happy and connected to my surroundings. I did not sense much of a diuretic action within the root however I did notice more thirst and this is most likely due to the way this medicine works to detoxify the body. I do believe by day 5 my bowels moved more completely and easily and at day 3 I did have a slight stomach ache although it was very minor.  I think it would be best to do another few full weeks of this medicine working up to therapeutic dosage to truly understand it's effects on the body. I have also heard that you should always use a little bit of the entire plant as there is some special way that it all works together so it would be interesting to do a week where some of the leaves are also used within the tea.

I do plan to continue to use Dandelion root to see if my liver will benefit and my body will detoxify. I feel that since I have moved to the city to go to school that I breathe unclean air and I have been much more sedentary and have unfortunately begun to have a less healthy diet so I plan to use this medicine to learn about it more fully and to aide in supporting my body for more optimal health. I have always felt very connected to the plants and animals and I am really happy to be learning about and truly spending time with the medicines.  Thank you Dandelion, I love you.

References:

1. Cunningham, S. Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs. Woodbury, Minnesota, Llewellyn Publications. 1993.

2. Weiss, RK. Herbal Medicine. Germany: Hippokrates Verlag. 1960

3. Hoffman, D. Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press, 2003.

4. Tilgner, S. Herbal Medicine From the Heart of the Earth. 1999.

This paper was written November 10, 2010 for my Botanical Medicine course taught under Chanchel Cabrera MSc, FNIMH, (RH)AHG at The Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine.  All rights and reserve of this paper are held by Dr. Ashley Kristina Romanchuk, ND. All Rights to this Information are owned under Mountainash Medicine Corporation, Copyright © in effect