Liver Disorders: How a common weed is proving invaluable in the fight against liver disorders, diabetes and even cancer

If youre a keen gardener youll be more than familiar with dandelions, one of the most common and problematic weeds that adorns lawns, meadows and fields alike.

Most gardeners detest them, but the more you try to weed them up, the faster they grow. Their growth rate is also accelerated by the wind, which can carry the seeds miles away from the parent plant.
While the plant may be considered a nuisance to gardeners it is highly regarded in the East where it is commonly used as a general health tonic and to treat a wide range of ailments from water retention and swelling to liver infections and cancer. These benefits and more are continually being backed up by ongoing research into the herbs medicinal properties.

A valuable source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants
The scientific name for dandelion is taraxacum officinale, but it also has several folk names including lions tooth, clock flower, fortune-teller and bitterwort. Although the root is the most commonly used part of the plant for medicinal purposes, the leaves and flowering head can also be used.

Scientists have found that the plant contains several important minerals such as iron, phosphorus, calcium and sodium, together with vitamins A, B, C and D.

Better still, these vitamins and minerals exist in high concentrations. For example, the plants iron content is higher than that found in spinach, and it contains more vitamin A than carrots.

In addition, the root of the plant contains antioxidants called tannins which include tri-terpene glycosides and sterols. They cleanse your system by helping to eliminate and inactivate deadly toxins like free radicals, which are implicated in causing cancer (J Agric Food Chem 2003, 51(1):301-310).

Dandelion extracts can destroy cancerous cells by up to 26%
Dandelions anti-cancer benefits are not news to traditional healers who have used the plant to help fight breast and womb cancer for centuries. However, it has only been recently that scientists have discovered exactly how it works against the disease. 

Researchers from the Department of Pharmacology in Seoul, South Korea, found that dandelion extracts were able to increase the production of chemicals that are known cancer-fighters like Tumour Necrosis Factor.

In fact, the researchers discovered that extracts from the plant were able to increase the killing of cancerous cells by up to 26 per cent (Life Sci 2004, 79(9):1149-1157).

Dandelion supports your liver and helps speed up the elimination of harmful toxins
One well-known benefit linked to the plant is its ability to stimulate the flow of bile, which in turn improves the health of your liver. Your liver is
the largest organ in your body and has many important functions.

Everything that you eat, breathe or absorb through your skin must be refined and detoxified by your liver. One of your livers main tasks is to regulate the metabolism of fat, and to remove excess fat from your body in your bile a thick greenish-yellow fluid that flows into the intestinal tract and is eliminated in the faeces. Therefore, the greater the bile flow, the greater the cleansing of the liver.

This action makes the plant useful for sufferers of liver problems such as hepatitis or alcoholic liver damage. In addition, those with gall-bladder stones, infection of the gall-bladder (cholecystitis), constipation or jaundice may benefit from its liver-boosting properties.

All the benefits of diuretic drugs but without their main drawback
Dandelion also acts as a diuretic and works in a similar way to conventional diuretic drugs like furosemide and bendrofluazide. They stimulate your kidneys to eliminate water from your system, which helps reduce swelling in areas like the legs and fingers. They are also useful in the treatment of heart disease in cases where there is an excessive build-up of fluids in the lungs.

However, one drawback attached to conventional diuretic drugs is that they increase the risk of a mineral deficiency occurring. This is because their use allows minerals as well as water to filter through the kidneys. Potassium deficiencies are particularly common following the use of diuretic drugs, which can result in muscle twitching or heart beat irregularities.

Fortunately, dandelion does not cause this problem. This is because it only acts as a mild diuretic, meaning that the amount of minerals lost through the kidneys is minimal. In addition dandelion contains potassium, which means that any potassium lost in your urine is immediately replaced by potassium from the plant.

Dandelions diuretic action is also beneficial for alleviating premenstrual fluid retention that is experienced by many women prior to their periods and causes breast tenderness and abdominal bloating.

Blood sugar lowering effect offers promise for diabetics
A recent study has revealed that dandelion may also be useful in the fight against diabetes. Pakistani researchers working at the Department of Chemistry, in Islamabad, recently studied a variety of oriental herbs on pancreatic tissue, and compared the results to those seen with the prescription drug glibenclamide.

This drug is often taken by diabetic patients to help the pancreas (a small organ near your stomach) produce more insulin, which has a blood sugar lowering effect. The scientists found that dandelion extracts in common with other herbs such as artemisia, salvia, and euphorbia worked just as well as glibenclamide at boosting the production of insulin (Phytother Res 2004, 18(1):73-77). However, dandelion does not cause glibenclamides side-effects which include headaches, diarrhoea, skin rash and weight gain.

What to take for best results
The recommended dosage for dandelion is 520mg taken one to three times a day. Contraindications: Dandelion has been found to be extremely safe, even when taken in high doses. However, it is best to take it under medical supervision, especially if you are currently taking any medication like diuretics, as dandelion may interact with them.