Dandelion
Brand Names
Blowball, Cankerwort, Cochet, Common Dandelion, Couronne de Moine, Dandelion Herb, Délice Printanier, Dent-de-Lion, Diente de Leon, Dudal, Endive Sauvage, Fausse Chicorée, Florin d’Or, Florion d’Or, Herba TaraxaciWhat is Dandelion
Dandelion is an herb whose above ground parts and root are used to make medication. Dandelion is used to treat many conditions, but there is not enough scientific evidence to determine whether or not it is helpful for any of them.
Side effects of Dandelion
There are the possible side effects caused by this medication:
- stomach upset or heartburn
- a rash
- allergy- difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue or face; or hives
Indication
Dandelion is effective in loss of appetite, upset stomach, intestinal gas, gallstones, joint pain, muscle aches, eczema and bruises. It can also be used to increase urine production and as a laxative to increase bowel movements. Dandelion is also used as skin toner, blood tonic and digestive tonic. In some cases, people use dandelion to treat infection, especially viral infections and cancer.
Precautions
It is not recommended to take dandelion if you
- have gallbladder problems
- have diabetes or if you take medicine to control blood sugar levels
- take a diuretic (water pill)
- take an anticoagulant (blood thinner) such as warfarin (Coumadin)
Dosage forms
The appropriate dose of dandelion depends on your age, health and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for dandelion. You should remember that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. You should follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your doctor before using.
