Taraxacum officinale

Taraxacum officinale, “Dandelion” in English and “Pissenlit” in French, belongs to the Asteraceae botanical family. Native throughout the northern hemisphere, this herb is a very common weed of grassland and cultivated ground, thriving in disturbed sites.

Its leaves have been part of several traditional cuisines, its flowers are used in beverage recipes and its roots can be a replacement to coffee.

Roots and herbs have a medicinal use, as a mild choleretic, as a diuretic, as an adjuvant in liver, gall-blader and digestive disorders. In folk medicine it is used as a mild laxative, for treating arthritis and rheumatism as well as eczema and other skin conditions.

Its main constituents are eudesmanolides that haven’t been found anywhere else : tetrahydroriidentin B and taraxacolide B-D-glucopyranoside, and germacranolides; triterpenes, sterols, carotenoids, flavonoids, caffeic, chicoric and chlorogenic acids; carbohydrates (roots). The herb has a high potassium content.

• English name Dandelion
• French name Pissenlit
• Chinese name Pugongying