Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) Herbal Monograph

What Is Dandelion?

Dandelion is a common perennial weed of lawns and roadsides, and both its leaf and its root are used as food and medicine. The root is a bitter tonic for digestion and the liver. The leaf is a gentle diuretic and a salad green rich in potassium.

Taraxacum officinale is native to Europe and now grows as a weed across the temperate world ^{2,29Reference 2González-Castejón M et al. · 2012ReviewDiverse biological activities of dandelion — [review]View study →Reference 29Brouillet LTaraxacum officinale FView study →}. It has been used in Chinese medicine since at least the 7th century, and in European medicine since the Middle Ages ^{3Reference 3Cui M et al. · 2026Systematic reviewUnveiling the genus Taraxacum: From folk medicine to chemodiversity-driven pharmacological and toxicological outcomes-A systematic review — [systematic review]View study →}.

The root and leaf are bitter with sesquiterpene lactones, and the root also stores the fibre inulin ^{7,19Reference 7Li Y et al. · 2022ReviewThe potential of dandelion in the fight against gastrointestinal diseases: A review — [review]View study →Reference 19Sharifi-Rad M et al. · 2018ReviewEthnobotany of the genus Taraxacum-Phytochemicals and antimicrobial activity — [review]View study →}. Research has looked at the herb’s diuretic, liver-protective, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activity. Almost all of it is in animals and cell cultures, and one small human study has tested the leaf as a diuretic ^{4Reference 4Clare BA et al. · 2009Clinical trialThe diuretic effect in human subjects of an extract of Taraxacum officinale folium over a single day — [clinical trial]View study →}.

Dandelion is one of a very large group of closely related plants. Several other Taraxacum species are used under the same Chinese name, pu gong ying ^{7Reference 7Li Y et al. · 2022ReviewThe potential of dandelion in the fight against gastrointestinal diseases: A review — [review]View study →}.

How Is Dandelion Used?

Dandelion is used as two separate medicines.

Root, or root with herb: a bitter taken for sluggish digestion, a feeling of fullness, wind and poor appetite. It is taken as a decoction, tea, tablet or liquid extract ^{27Reference 27Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products · 2009ReviewCommunity herbal monograph on Taraxacum officinale Weber ex Wigg., radix cum herba (EMA/HMPC/212895/2008 Corr 1) — pharmacopoeial monographView study →}.
Leaf: taken as a tea, liquid extract or fresh pressed juice to increase urine flow and flush the urinary tract in minor urinary complaints ^{28Reference 28Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products · 2009ReviewCommunity herbal monograph on Taraxacum officinale Weber ex Wigg., folium (EMA/HMPC/579636/2008) — pharmacopoeial monographView study →}.
Food: the leaves are eaten in salads, and the plant is eaten as a food in several parts of the world ^{2,4Reference 2González-Castejón M et al. · 2012ReviewDiverse biological activities of dandelion — [review]View study →Reference 4Clare BA et al. · 2009Clinical trialThe diuretic effect in human subjects of an extract of Taraxacum officinale folium over a single day — [clinical trial]View study →}.

In the European Union, both the leaf and the root with herb are registered as traditional herbal medicines for these uses ^{27,28Reference 27Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products · 2009ReviewCommunity herbal monograph on Taraxacum officinale Weber ex Wigg., radix cum herba (EMA/HMPC/212895/2008 Corr 1) — pharmacopoeial monographView study →Reference 28Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products · 2009ReviewCommunity herbal monograph on Taraxacum officinale Weber ex Wigg., folium (EMA/HMPC/579636/2008) — pharmacopoeial monographView study →}. Dandelion is also a traditional spring tonic, taken as a bitter green after winter.

Traditional Uses

Western Herbal Medicine

In Western herbal medicine the root is a bitter liver herb and cholagogue, used to promote the flow of bile. It is given for sluggish digestion, poor tolerance of fatty food, constipation, and skin complaints thought to follow from poor elimination. It is also taken as a spring tonic and “blood cleanser” (alterative).

The leaf is the diuretic part. Its French name, pissenlit (“wet the bed”), comes from this use.

European tradition has also used dandelion for heartburn, spleen and liver complaints, hepatitis and loss of appetite ^{1Reference 1Schütz K et al. · 2006ReviewTaraxacum—a review on its phytochemical and pharmacological profile — [review]View study →}.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, dandelion (Pu Gong Ying) has been used since at least the 7th century ^{3Reference 3Cui M et al. · 2026Systematic reviewUnveiling the genus Taraxacum: From folk medicine to chemodiversity-driven pharmacological and toxicological outcomes-A systematic review — [systematic review]View study →}. It is used to clear heat and resolve toxicity, particularly for hot, inflamed conditions such as mastitis, sore throat, and red, swollen skin lesions.

The Chinese herb is not always T. officinale. T. mongolicum and T. coreanum are also widely used under the same name ^{7Reference 7Li Y et al. · 2022ReviewThe potential of dandelion in the fight against gastrointestinal diseases: A review — [review]View study →}.

Folk Medicine

Across China, Turkey, Spain, Italy and other countries, folk medicine has used dandelion for kidney stones, constipation, eczema, ulcers and inflammation ^{3Reference 3Cui M et al. · 2026Systematic reviewUnveiling the genus Taraxacum: From folk medicine to chemodiversity-driven pharmacological and toxicological outcomes-A systematic review — [systematic review]View study →}.

Indications

Sluggish digestion, fullness and wind [root with herb; EU traditional use]
Poor appetite [root with herb; EU traditional use]
Minor urinary complaints, to increase urine flow [leaf, root with herb; EU traditional use]
Liver and gallbladder complaints [root; Western herbal medicine]
Hepatitis [root; European folk use]
Constipation [root; Western herbal medicine]
Skin complaints and eczema [root; Western herbal medicine, folk use]
Kidney stones [whole plant; folk use]
Mild high blood pressure [leaf; Western herbal medicine]
Elevated blood sugar [whole plant; folk use]
Mastitis, sore throat and swollen skin lesions [whole plant; TCM]
Spring tonic [leaf and root; food use]

Botany

Dandelion is a perennial herb in the daisy family (Asteraceae) ^{29Reference 29Brouillet LTaraxacum officinale FView study →}. It grows from a taproot that is usually 15–45 cm deep but can reach 3–4.5 m ^{23Reference 23Invasive Plant Atlas of the United Statehttps://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=3887View study →}.

Its leaves form a rosette at the base of the plant. They are 5–45 cm long and usually shallowly to deeply lobed, with the lobes pointing back towards the base ^{29Reference 29Brouillet LTaraxacum officinale FView study →}.

Each hollow, leafless flowering stem carries a single head of 40 to more than 100 yellow florets ^{29Reference 29Brouillet LTaraxacum officinale FView study →}. The head ripens into the familiar round “clock” of seeds. Each olive-brown seed carries a white parachute of hairs on a slender beak ^{29Reference 29Brouillet LTaraxacum officinale FView study →}.

The stems and root contain a milky latex. It is rich in a bitter sesquiterpene lactone, taraxinic acid glucoside ^{25Reference 25Huber M et al. · 2015Identification, quantification, spatiotemporal distribution and genetic variation of major latex secondary metabolites in the common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale agg.) — [phytochemical analysis]View study →}.

The common dandelion usually sets seed without pollination ^{23Reference 23Invasive Plant Atlas of the United Statehttps://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=3887View study →}. It is very variable, and botanists disagree on whether these should be named as separate microspecies, and in North America they are kept under the one name T. officinale ^{29Reference 29Brouillet LTaraxacum officinale FView study →}.

Its medicinal relatives in the same family include chicory, artichoke, yarrow and milk thistle.

Distribution

Dandelion is native to Europe and has been introduced nearly worldwide ^{29Reference 29Brouillet LTaraxacum officinale FView study →}. In North America it grows in Greenland, every Canadian province and territory, and almost every US state, from sea level to above 2,000 m ^{29Reference 29Brouillet LTaraxacum officinale FView study →}. It was brought to New England by European settlers in the 1600s as a salad green ^{23Reference 23Invasive Plant Atlas of the United Statehttps://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=3887View study →}.

It grows in lawns, roadsides, waste ground, damp low places and disturbed banks and shores ^{29Reference 29Brouillet LTaraxacum officinale FView study →}. It is a major weed of turf, and it is reported as invasive in several US national parks, including Grand Canyon, Death Valley and Yellowstone ^{23Reference 23Invasive Plant Atlas of the United Statehttps://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=3887View study →}.

Because it is such a common weed, wild dandelion raises no sourcing concern. When picking it, choose ground that has not been sprayed with weedkiller.

Growing Conditions

Cultivation snapshot for Dandelion

SunFull sun (6+ hrs direct)WaterDrought-surviving via deep taprootSoilAlmost any soil; richer is betterLifeperennial

Grow it yourself

Farm Wiki is our cultivation-focused sister site, also run by Justin Cooke.

How to growComing soon

Find seedsComing soon

Pharmacology & Research

Hundreds of papers have been published on dandelion, but almost all are cell studies, animal studies or reviews ^{2,3Reference 2González-Castejón M et al. · 2012ReviewDiverse biological activities of dandelion — [review]View study →Reference 3Cui M et al. · 2026Systematic reviewUnveiling the genus Taraxacum: From folk medicine to chemodiversity-driven pharmacological and toxicological outcomes-A systematic review — [systematic review]View study →}. Much of the pharmacology is on single constituents, such as taraxasterol and chicoric acid, rather than the whole root or leaf.

One published human study exists: a 2009 single-day pilot of fresh-leaf extract as a diuretic ^{4Reference 4Clare BA et al. · 2009Clinical trialThe diuretic effect in human subjects of an extract of Taraxacum officinale folium over a single day — [clinical trial]View study →}. Two further human trials are registered as completed, a leaf-extract trial for weight loss and a four-person hand-eczema study, but neither has posted results.

The best-supported findings match the traditional uses: the leaf as a diuretic, and the root as a bitter that protects the liver and promotes bile flow. The most active area of newer work is a water extract of the root that kills cancer cells in the laboratory ^{13,14Reference 13Ovadje P et al. · 2016In vitroDandelion root extract affects colorectal cancer proliferation and survival through the activation of multiple death signalling pathways — [in vitro]View study →Reference 14Ovadje P et al. · 2012In vitroSelective induction of apoptosis and autophagy through treatment with dandelion root extract in human pancreatic cancer cells — [in vitro]View study →}.

What the Evidence Supports

Best-supported: leaf as a diuretic — the only indication with any human data, backed by the leaf’s high potassium content and long pharmacopoeial use ^{4,28Reference 4Clare BA et al. · 2009Clinical trialThe diuretic effect in human subjects of an extract of Taraxacum officinale folium over a single day — [clinical trial]View study →Reference 28Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products · 2009ReviewCommunity herbal monograph on Taraxacum officinale Weber ex Wigg., folium (EMA/HMPC/579636/2008) — pharmacopoeial monographView study →}; root as a hepatoprotective, bile-stimulating bitter, backed by multiple rodent models ^{5,6,7Reference 5Ge B et al. · 2023In vitroProtection of taraxasterol against acetaminophen-induced liver injury elucidated through network pharmacology and in vitro and in vivo experiments — [in vivo animal]View study →Reference 6Hfaiedh M et al. · 2016AnimalHepatoprotective effect of Taraxacum officinale leaf extract on sodium dichromate-induced liver injury in rats — [in vivo animal]View study →Reference 7Li Y et al. · 2022ReviewThe potential of dandelion in the fight against gastrointestinal diseases: A review — [review]View study →}.
Emerging, worth watching: taraxasterol as an in vivo anti-inflammatory (arthritis, colitis) ^{8,11Reference 8Wang S et al. · 2016AnimalAnti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic effects of taraxasterol on adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats — [in vivo animal]View study →Reference 11Che L et al. · 2019In vitroAnti-inflammatory and anti-apoptosis activity of taraxasterol in ulcerative colitis in vitro and in vivo — [in vitro]View study →}; aqueous root extract inducing selective apoptosis in colorectal and pancreatic cancer cells, with one mouse xenograft study ^{13,14Reference 13Ovadje P et al. · 2016In vitroDandelion root extract affects colorectal cancer proliferation and survival through the activation of multiple death signalling pathways — [in vitro]View study →Reference 14Ovadje P et al. · 2012In vitroSelective induction of apoptosis and autophagy through treatment with dandelion root extract in human pancreatic cancer cells — [in vitro]View study →}.
Mechanistically thin: antidiabetic and anti-obesity claims rest on α-glucosidase/lipase inhibition in enzyme and docking assays, one mouse study, and one polyherbal rat study ^{16,17,18Reference 16Perumal N et al. · 2022AnimalSynergistic antidiabetic activity of Taraxacum officinale (L.) Weber ex F.H.Wigg and Momordica charantia L. polyherbal combination — [in vivo animal]View study →Reference 17Choi J et al. · 2018In vitroChemical constituents from Taraxacum officinale and their α-glucosidase inhibitory activities — [in vitro]View study →Reference 18Aabideen ZU et al. · 2020In vitroAnti-Obesity Attributes; UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-Based Metabolite Profiling and Molecular Docking Insights of Taraxacum officinale — [in vitro]View study →}; antimicrobial activity is documented mostly at review and ethnobotany level ^{19Reference 19Sharifi-Rad M et al. · 2018ReviewEthnobotany of the genus Taraxacum-Phytochemicals and antimicrobial activity — [review]View study →}.

Results depend on the part and the preparation. Root and leaf are used for different purposes, and water extracts, alcohol extracts and the essential oil behave differently. No extract is standardised, and no human dose-finding study has been done.

Evidence by IndicationStrength of support

DiureticPromising

66%

HepatoprotectivePromising

63%

Anti-InflammatoryPromising

61%

AntioxidantPromising

56%

AnticancerPromising

45%

AntidiabeticShaky

42%

Anti-ObesityShaky

37%

AntimicrobialShaky

32%

1. Diuretic

This is the only use with direct human evidence. In a 2009 pilot, 17 volunteers took 8 mL of a fresh-leaf hydroethanolic extract three times over one day ^{4Reference 4Clare BA et al. · 2009Clinical trialThe diuretic effect in human subjects of an extract of Taraxacum officinale folium over a single day — [clinical trial]View study →}.

Urinary frequency rose significantly in the 5 hours after the first dose. The ratio of urine passed to fluid drunk rose significantly after the second dose. The third dose changed nothing ^{4Reference 4Clare BA et al. · 2009Clinical trialThe diuretic effect in human subjects of an extract of Taraxacum officinale folium over a single day — [clinical trial]View study →}.

The study had no control group (each subject was compared with their own baseline), and fluid intake and output were self-recorded.

Dried dandelion leaf contains a lot of potassium: reported values run from about 23 to 60 mg/g, with typical figures around 43–45 mg/g ^{4Reference 4Clare BA et al. · 2009Clinical trialThe diuretic effect in human subjects of an extract of Taraxacum officinale folium over a single day — [clinical trial]View study →}. This is the basis of the traditional claim that the leaf moves fluid without the potassium loss seen with some drug diuretics. That claim has never been tested against a drug diuretic in people.

Gap: no placebo-controlled trial and no dose-response study.

2. Hepatoprotective

The triterpene taraxasterol protected mice against acetaminophen liver injury, lowering liver enzymes and oxidative markers ^{5Reference 5Ge B et al. · 2023In vitroProtection of taraxasterol against acetaminophen-induced liver injury elucidated through network pharmacology and in vitro and in vivo experiments — [in vivo animal]View study →}. The work traced the effect to the Nrf2/HO-1 antioxidant pathway, JNK signalling and cell-death proteins ^{5Reference 5Ge B et al. · 2023In vitroProtection of taraxasterol against acetaminophen-induced liver injury elucidated through network pharmacology and in vitro and in vivo experiments — [in vivo animal]View study →}.

A leaf extract (500 mg/kg for 30 days) protected rats against liver injury from sodium dichromate, restoring antioxidant enzymes and liver structure ^{6Reference 6Hfaiedh M et al. · 2016AnimalHepatoprotective effect of Taraxacum officinale leaf extract on sodium dichromate-induced liver injury in rats — [in vivo animal]View study →}.

A review of dandelion in digestive disease lists liver disease and gallstones among the conditions studied, alongside the traditional use for dyspepsia ^{7Reference 7Li Y et al. · 2022ReviewThe potential of dandelion in the fight against gastrointestinal diseases: A review — [review]View study →}.

Gap: no human liver-function or bile-flow data; the strongest results are for isolated taraxasterol, not the whole root a person drinks or tinctures.

3. Anti-Inflammatory

Anti-inflammatory activity is replicated in animals and cell systems, much of it attributed to taraxasterol. Oral taraxasterol (2–8 mg/kg) reduced paw swelling, joint damage and inflammatory markers in rats with adjuvant arthritis ^{8Reference 8Wang S et al. · 2016AnimalAnti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic effects of taraxasterol on adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats — [in vivo animal]View study →}. In mice with chemically induced colitis, and in colon cells, it lowered IL-6 and TNF-α and reduced tissue damage ^{11Reference 11Che L et al. · 2019In vitroAnti-inflammatory and anti-apoptosis activity of taraxasterol in ulcerative colitis in vitro and in vivo — [in vitro]View study →}.

A whole dandelion extract lowered nitric oxide and inflammatory gene expression in stimulated macrophages, and reduced inflammatory cell build-up in zebrafish larvae ^{9Reference 9Li W et al. · 2022AnimalAnti-Inflammatory Effects and Mechanisms of Dandelion in RAW264.7 Macrophages and Zebrafish Larvae — [in vivo animal]View study →}.

In mice, a Taraxacum herb extract given before chemically induced colitis induced the protective enzyme heme oxygenase-1 and prevented the colitis more effectively than sulfasalazine ^{10Reference 10Han KH et al. · 2017AnimalHeme Oxygenase-1 Induction and Anti-inflammatory Actions of Atractylodes macrocephala and Taraxacum herba Extracts Prevented Colitis and Was More Effective than Sulfasalazine in Preventing Relapse — [in vivo animal]View study →}.

The recurring mechanism is lower NF-κB, COX-2 and iNOS activity with higher Nrf2/HO-1. It is all preclinical and largely constituent-led, with no human data.

4. Antioxidant

Dandelion extracts are consistently antioxidant in the test tube, in line with their phenolic content: chicoric acid, chlorogenic acid, and flavonoids such as luteolin. Extracts of leaf, root and flower all show radical-scavenging and reducing activity ^{2Reference 2González-Castejón M et al. · 2012ReviewDiverse biological activities of dandelion — [review]View study →}.

Some results come from dandelion essential oil, which is not how the herb is used ^{12Reference 12Kamal FZ et al. · 2022In vitroChemical Composition, Antioxidant and Antiproliferative Activities of Taraxacum officinale Essential Oil — [in vitro]View study →}. In the test tube the oil’s radical-scavenging was weak. Given to mice for 14 days, it protected the liver and kidneys against acetaminophen by raising antioxidant enzymes ^{12Reference 12Kamal FZ et al. · 2022In vitroChemical Composition, Antioxidant and Antiproliferative Activities of Taraxacum officinale Essential Oil — [in vitro]View study →}.

Antioxidant activity in a test tube does not establish an effect in the body at normal intakes.

5. Antidiabetic

Compounds isolated from dandelion, including six new butyrolactones and butanoates, inhibited α-glucosidase in vitro about as strongly as the drug acarbose ^{17Reference 17Choi J et al. · 2018In vitroChemical constituents from Taraxacum officinale and their α-glucosidase inhibitory activities — [in vitro]View study →}. This enzyme action would slow the absorption of sugar after a meal.

Reviews of dandelion in type 2 diabetes point to chicoric acid, taraxasterol, chlorogenic acid and sesquiterpene lactones as the likely active compounds ^{15Reference 15Wirngo FE et al. · 2016ReviewThe Physiological Effects of Dandelion (Taraxacum Officinale) in Type 2 Diabetes — [review]View study →}.

The one animal study combined Taraxacum officinale with Momordica charantia (bitter melon), itself a blood-sugar-lowering herb. The combination lowered blood glucose in diabetic rats about as well as glibenclamide and metformin ^{16Reference 16Perumal N et al. · 2022AnimalSynergistic antidiabetic activity of Taraxacum officinale (L.) Weber ex F.H.Wigg and Momordica charantia L. polyherbal combination — [in vivo animal]View study →}.

Gap: no animal or human glycemic data for dandelion on its own.

6. Anticancer

A specific water extract of dandelion root killed more than 95% of colon cancer cells within 48 hours, whatever their p53 status, while sparing non-cancer cells ^{13Reference 13Ovadje P et al. · 2016In vitroDandelion root extract affects colorectal cancer proliferation and survival through the activation of multiple death signalling pathways — [in vitro]View study →}. Given by mouth to mice, the same extract slowed the growth of human colon tumour grafts by more than 90% ^{13Reference 13Ovadje P et al. · 2016In vitroDandelion root extract affects colorectal cancer proliferation and survival through the activation of multiple death signalling pathways — [in vitro]View study →}.

The same group showed selective cell death and autophagy in two pancreatic cancer cell lines, with normal human fibroblasts unaffected at similar doses ^{14Reference 14Ovadje P et al. · 2012In vitroSelective induction of apoptosis and autophagy through treatment with dandelion root extract in human pancreatic cancer cells — [in vitro]View study →}.

A rat study measured three tyrosine-kinase-inhibitor cancer drugs, imatinib, dasatinib and nilotinib, in plasma alongside dandelion root extract, to look for an interaction ^{20Reference 20Alzoman NZ et al. · 2019AnimalUPLC-MS/MS study of the effect of dandelion root extract on the plasma levels of the selected irreversible tyrosine kinase inhibitors dasatinib, imatinib and nilotinib in rats: Potential risk of pharmacokinetic interactions — [in vivo animal]View study →}.

Gap: one mouse study and no human data; the effects belong to one aqueous root extract that is not a standardised product.

7. Anti-Obesity

A 60% ethanol extract of dandelion inhibited pancreatic lipase, the enzyme that releases dietary fat for absorption, in vitro ^{18Reference 18Aabideen ZU et al. · 2020In vitroAnti-Obesity Attributes; UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-Based Metabolite Profiling and Molecular Docking Insights of Taraxacum officinale — [in vitro]View study →}. Docking studies suggested that several of its flavonoids could bind the enzyme ^{18Reference 18Aabideen ZU et al. · 2020In vitroAnti-Obesity Attributes; UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-Based Metabolite Profiling and Molecular Docking Insights of Taraxacum officinale — [in vitro]View study →}. The same study reported improved blood lipids and obesity markers in obese mice ^{18Reference 18Aabideen ZU et al. · 2020In vitroAnti-Obesity Attributes; UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-Based Metabolite Profiling and Molecular Docking Insights of Taraxacum officinale — [in vitro]View study →}.

A randomised human trial of 500 mg dandelion leaf extract three times daily, compared with the weight-loss drug orlistat, enrolled 120 premenopausal women with obesity and is registered as completed (NCT06625736). No results have been posted.

8. Antimicrobial

Water and solvent extracts of different parts of dandelion show antibacterial and antifungal activity in vitro. A review of the genus attributes it to sesquiterpene lactones, triterpenoids and phenolics ^{19Reference 19Sharifi-Rad M et al. · 2018ReviewEthnobotany of the genus Taraxacum-Phytochemicals and antimicrobial activity — [review]View study →}.

The same review notes that clinical evidence for antimicrobial use is scant ^{19Reference 19Sharifi-Rad M et al. · 2018ReviewEthnobotany of the genus Taraxacum-Phytochemicals and antimicrobial activity — [review]View study →}. There is no animal infection study and no established active compound.

Mechanisms

The root’s bitter sesquiterpene lactones stimulate digestive secretions, and its triterpenes and phenolics have been studied for anti-inflammatory and liver-protective activity through the NF-κB and Nrf2 pathways.

The leaf’s diuretic use is linked to its high potassium content. The root’s inulin is a fermentable fibre.

Mechanism	Drives	Key compounds
Bitter stimulation of digestive and bile secretion	digestive/bitter	taraxinic acid glucoside, taraxacin
NF-κB ↓, COX-2/iNOS ↓, Nrf2/HO-1 ↑	anti-inflammatoryhepatoprotective	taraxasterol, taraxerol, lupeol
Radical scavenging; α-glucosidase ↓	antioxidantantidiabetic	chicoric acid, chlorogenic acid
Radical scavenging, NF-κB ↓	antioxidantanti-inflammatory	luteolin, apigenin
Colonic fermentation to short-chain fatty acids (prebiotic)	digestiveprebiotic	inulin
High potassium content	diuretic	potassium

Clinical Trials

One human study has been published: the 2009 single-day diuretic pilot ^{4Reference 4Clare BA et al. · 2009Clinical trialThe diuretic effect in human subjects of an extract of Taraxacum officinale folium over a single day — [clinical trial]View study →}. Two registered trials are marked completed with no posted results: a randomised trial of leaf extract against orlistat in 120 premenopausal women with obesity (NCT06625736), and a four-person study of dandelion juice for dyshidrotic hand eczema (NCT00442091). Everything else is preclinical.

Completed	Planned	Terminated	Preclinical
3	0	0	~200+

Last checked: July 2026.

Phytochemistry

Dandelion’s bitterness comes largely from sesquiterpene lactones. These include taraxacin and derivatives of taraxinic acid ^{19Reference 19Sharifi-Rad M et al. · 2018ReviewEthnobotany of the genus Taraxacum-Phytochemicals and antimicrobial activity — [review]View study →}. The root contains several germacrane- and guaiane-type lactones, among them two taraxinic acid derivatives and 11β,13-dihydrolactucin ^{24Reference 24Kisiel W · 2000Further sesquiterpenoids and phenolics from Taraxacum officinale — [phytochemical analysis]View study →}.

The milky latex holds three main groups of compounds: phenolic inositol esters, triterpene acetates, and taraxinic acid β-D-glucopyranosyl ester ^{25Reference 25Huber M et al. · 2015Identification, quantification, spatiotemporal distribution and genetic variation of major latex secondary metabolites in the common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale agg.) — [phytochemical analysis]View study →}. Each can reach 5–7% of the fresh latex. Levels rise with the age of the plant and are highest in the main root ^{25Reference 25Huber M et al. · 2015Identification, quantification, spatiotemporal distribution and genetic variation of major latex secondary metabolites in the common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale agg.) — [phytochemical analysis]View study →}.

The triterpenes taraxasterol and taraxerol are characteristic of the plant ^{19Reference 19Sharifi-Rad M et al. · 2018ReviewEthnobotany of the genus Taraxacum-Phytochemicals and antimicrobial activity — [review]View study →}. The root also contains the fermentable fibre inulin ^{7Reference 7Li Y et al. · 2022ReviewThe potential of dandelion in the fight against gastrointestinal diseases: A review — [review]View study →}.

The dried leaf is rich in potassium, typically around 43–45 mg/g ^{4Reference 4Clare BA et al. · 2009Clinical trialThe diuretic effect in human subjects of an extract of Taraxacum officinale folium over a single day — [clinical trial]View study →}.

The main phenolics are hydroxycinnamic acids: cichoric acid (also written chicoric acid), caftaric acid and chlorogenic acid ^{19Reference 19Sharifi-Rad M et al. · 2018ReviewEthnobotany of the genus Taraxacum-Phytochemicals and antimicrobial activity — [review]View study →}. The flavone luteolin and its glucosides, including galuteolin, are also present ^{7Reference 7Li Y et al. · 2022ReviewThe potential of dandelion in the fight against gastrointestinal diseases: A review — [review]View study →}.

11β,13-Dihydrolactucin differs from lactucin, a bitter lactone of lettuce and chicory, by one reduced double bond. In mice both compounds relieved pain, but only lactucin was sedative ^{26Reference 26Wesołowska A et al. · 2006AnimalAnalgesic and sedative activities of lactucin and some lactucin-like guaianolides in mice — [in vivo animal]View study →}.

Constituent Summary

Levels vary with plant part, plant age and season ^{25Reference 25Huber M et al. · 2015Identification, quantification, spatiotemporal distribution and genetic variation of major latex secondary metabolites in the common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale agg.) — [phytochemical analysis]View study →}.

Grouped by class · 12 compounds

Mineral1 compound1 with data

MineralPotassium~23–60 mg/g (dry leaf)

Sesquiterpene Lactone2 compounds1 with data

Sesquiterpene LactoneTaraxinic acid glucosideup to ~7% (fresh latex)

Sesquiterpene LactoneTaraxacinNo data

Fructan1 compoundno data

FructanInulinNo data

Triterpene3 compoundsno data

TriterpeneTaraxasterolNo data

TriterpeneTaraxerolNo data

TriterpeneLupeolNo data

Phenolic Acid2 compoundsno data

Phenolic AcidChicoric acidNo data

Phenolic AcidChlorogenic acidNo data

Flavonoid2 compoundsno data

FlavonoidLuteolinNo data

FlavonoidApigeninNo data

Phenolic1 compoundno data

PhenolicFlavonoidsNo data

Dosage

The doses below are the European Union traditional-use doses for adults and adolescents ^{27,28Reference 27Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products · 2009ReviewCommunity herbal monograph on Taraxacum officinale Weber ex Wigg., radix cum herba (EMA/HMPC/212895/2008 Corr 1) — pharmacopoeial monographView study →Reference 28Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products · 2009ReviewCommunity herbal monograph on Taraxacum officinale Weber ex Wigg., folium (EMA/HMPC/579636/2008) — pharmacopoeial monographView study →}. If symptoms last longer than two weeks, a doctor or qualified practitioner should be consulted ^{27,28Reference 27Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products · 2009ReviewCommunity herbal monograph on Taraxacum officinale Weber ex Wigg., radix cum herba (EMA/HMPC/212895/2008 Corr 1) — pharmacopoeial monographView study →Reference 28Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products · 2009ReviewCommunity herbal monograph on Taraxacum officinale Weber ex Wigg., folium (EMA/HMPC/579636/2008) — pharmacopoeial monographView study →}.

When the leaf is taken to increase urine flow, plenty of fluid should be drunk alongside it ^{28Reference 28Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products · 2009ReviewCommunity herbal monograph on Taraxacum officinale Weber ex Wigg., folium (EMA/HMPC/579636/2008) — pharmacopoeial monographView study →}.

The one human study used 8 mL of a fresh-leaf hydroethanolic extract three times in a single day ^{4Reference 4Clare BA et al. · 2009Clinical trialThe diuretic effect in human subjects of an extract of Taraxacum officinale folium over a single day — [clinical trial]View study →}.

Traditional Dosage

System	Preparation	Dose
EU traditional use	Dried leaf, infusion	4–10 g, three times daily
EU traditional use	Leaf liquid extract	4–10 mL, three times daily
EU traditional use	Fresh leaf juice	5–10 mL, twice daily
EU traditional use	Dried root with herb, decoction	3–4 g, up to three times daily
EU traditional use	Dried root with herb, infusion	4–10 g, up to three times daily
EU traditional use	Fresh root-with-herb juice	10 mL, three times daily

Safety & Pregnancy

Dandelion is eaten as a food and is well tolerated. Its cautions are daisy-family allergy, gallbladder and bile-duct disease, and a risk of high blood potassium in kidney or heart failure.

Safety at a Glance

Low / no toxicityDaisy-family allergyDrug interactions

Daisy-family allergy. Can cause allergic reactions, including contact dermatitis, in people sensitive to the daisy family.
Bile-duct and gallbladder disease. Not for use with bile-duct obstruction, gallstones, cholangitis, other liver or biliary disease, or active peptic ulcer.
Kidney failure, heart failure and diabetes. Best avoided because of the risk of high blood potassium.
Drug interactions. In rats, dandelion tea lowered liver CYP1A2 and CYP2E1 activity and raised UGT activity ^{30Reference 30Maliakal PP · 2001AnimalEffect of herbal teas on hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes in rats — [in vivo animal]View study →}; take care alongside prescription diuretics.
Well tolerated. Widely eaten as a food; no serious adverse effects are recorded in reviews of herbal safety.

Full Safety & Interactions Detail

Allergy. Dandelion belongs to the daisy family (Asteraceae), whose sesquiterpene lactones are a common cause of allergic contact dermatitis ^{22Reference 22Jovanović M · 2003ReviewJovanović M, Poljacki M (2003). [Compositae dermatitis] — [review]. Med Pregl. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12793186/View study →}. People allergic to the family should not take it ^{27,28Reference 27Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products · 2009ReviewCommunity herbal monograph on Taraxacum officinale Weber ex Wigg., radix cum herba (EMA/HMPC/212895/2008 Corr 1) — pharmacopoeial monographView study →Reference 28Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products · 2009ReviewCommunity herbal monograph on Taraxacum officinale Weber ex Wigg., folium (EMA/HMPC/579636/2008) — pharmacopoeial monographView study →}.

Bile ducts and stomach. The European monographs list bile-duct obstruction, cholangitis, liver disease, gallstones, other biliary disease and active peptic ulcer as reasons not to use dandelion ^{27,28Reference 27Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products · 2009ReviewCommunity herbal monograph on Taraxacum officinale Weber ex Wigg., radix cum herba (EMA/HMPC/212895/2008 Corr 1) — pharmacopoeial monographView study →Reference 28Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products · 2009ReviewCommunity herbal monograph on Taraxacum officinale Weber ex Wigg., folium (EMA/HMPC/579636/2008) — pharmacopoeial monographView study →}. Root-and-herb preparations can cause stomach pain and excess acid ^{27Reference 27Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products · 2009ReviewCommunity herbal monograph on Taraxacum officinale Weber ex Wigg., radix cum herba (EMA/HMPC/212895/2008 Corr 1) — pharmacopoeial monographView study →}.

Potassium. Because of the risk of high blood potassium, the monographs advise against use in kidney failure, diabetes or heart failure ^{27,28Reference 27Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products · 2009ReviewCommunity herbal monograph on Taraxacum officinale Weber ex Wigg., radix cum herba (EMA/HMPC/212895/2008 Corr 1) — pharmacopoeial monographView study →Reference 28Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products · 2009ReviewCommunity herbal monograph on Taraxacum officinale Weber ex Wigg., folium (EMA/HMPC/579636/2008) — pharmacopoeial monographView study →}. The leaf’s diuretic action also calls for care alongside prescription diuretics.

Drug interactions. No interactions are reported in the European monographs ^{27,28Reference 27Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products · 2009ReviewCommunity herbal monograph on Taraxacum officinale Weber ex Wigg., radix cum herba (EMA/HMPC/212895/2008 Corr 1) — pharmacopoeial monographView study →Reference 28Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products · 2009ReviewCommunity herbal monograph on Taraxacum officinale Weber ex Wigg., folium (EMA/HMPC/579636/2008) — pharmacopoeial monographView study →}. In rats given dandelion tea for four weeks, liver CYP1A2 and CYP2E1 activity fell and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activity more than doubled, while CYP2D and CYP3A were unchanged. This has not been tested in people ^{30Reference 30Maliakal PP · 2001AnimalEffect of herbal teas on hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes in rats — [in vivo animal]View study →}.

A rat study measured imatinib, dasatinib and nilotinib in plasma alongside dandelion root extract, to look for an interaction ^{20Reference 20Alzoman NZ et al. · 2019AnimalUPLC-MS/MS study of the effect of dandelion root extract on the plasma levels of the selected irreversible tyrosine kinase inhibitors dasatinib, imatinib and nilotinib in rats: Potential risk of pharmacokinetic interactions — [in vivo animal]View study →}.

Children. Use under 12 years is not recommended, for lack of data ^{27,28Reference 27Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products · 2009ReviewCommunity herbal monograph on Taraxacum officinale Weber ex Wigg., radix cum herba (EMA/HMPC/212895/2008 Corr 1) — pharmacopoeial monographView study →Reference 28Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products · 2009ReviewCommunity herbal monograph on Taraxacum officinale Weber ex Wigg., folium (EMA/HMPC/579636/2008) — pharmacopoeial monographView study →}.

Overall record. An overview of systematic reviews found no serious adverse effects for dandelion; the effects it did record were rated moderately severe ^{21Reference 21Posadzki P et al. · 2013Systematic reviewAdverse effects of herbal medicines: an overview of systematic reviews — [systematic review]View study →}. A 2026 review of the genus judged T. officinale to have a favourable safety profile ^{3Reference 3Cui M et al. · 2026Systematic reviewUnveiling the genus Taraxacum: From folk medicine to chemodiversity-driven pharmacological and toxicological outcomes-A systematic review — [systematic review]View study →}.

Pregnancy & Lactation

Caution in pregnancy Caution while breastfeeding

Dandelion leaves are eaten as a food in pregnancy and while breastfeeding. No studies have looked at medicinal preparations in either. For that reason the European monographs do not recommend medicinal dandelion during pregnancy or breastfeeding ^{27,28Reference 27Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products · 2009ReviewCommunity herbal monograph on Taraxacum officinale Weber ex Wigg., radix cum herba (EMA/HMPC/212895/2008 Corr 1) — pharmacopoeial monographView study →Reference 28Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products · 2009ReviewCommunity herbal monograph on Taraxacum officinale Weber ex Wigg., folium (EMA/HMPC/579636/2008) — pharmacopoeial monographView study →}.

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