Also known as: common dandelion, lion's tooth, blowball
Traditional European bitter tonic with official recognition for digestive and urinary support. Strong traditional use backed by regulatory approval, but human clinical evidence is surprisingly thin - only one small trial exists despite 1,000+ years of use.
Used for:digestiondiureticappetitebloating
Traditional Use
Traditions: European herbalism, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Folk medicine
Multiple traditions agree on use.
Historical Attributions
Official approval for bile flow disturbances, diuretic stimulation, loss of appetite, dyspepsia. Root and leaf preparations with specific dosing guidelines.
Traditional herbal medicinal product status for mild digestive disorders and diuretic use. At least 30 years documented use in EU.
Currently recorded in official Chinese pharmacopoeia, reflecting centuries of traditional use.
Evidence
Dandelion presents a puzzling gap between extensive traditional use and minimal human research. Despite 1,000+ years of use and official regulatory recognition in Germany, the EU, and China, there is essentially only ONE published human trial. That single study (n=17) confirmed diuretic effects. Everything else - hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory - comes from test tubes and animals, not people.
Key Studies
Clare et al. - Diuretic Effect in Humans (2009)
17 women, 8 mL leaf extract TID, significant increase in urination frequency (p<0.05) and excretion ratio (p<0.001) over single day. No adverse events.
Abd El-Ghffar et al. - Hepatoprotective Effects in Rats (2021)
Traditional infusion (leaf) or decoction (root). Leaf for diuretic, root for digestion/bile. Maximum 2 weeks continuous use (EMA).
tincture — Leaf: 2-5 mL TID | Root: 10-15 drops (0.5-0.75 mL) twice daily
German Commission E dosing. Root typically 1:5 in 40-60% alcohol, leaf 1:5 in 25-40% alcohol. Dilute in water, take before meals.
fresh — Fresh leaf extract: 8 mL TID (1:1 in 95% ethanol - clinical trial dose) | Fresh juice: 5-15 mL 1-3 times daily
Only one human trial used 8 mL fresh leaf ethanolic extract three times daily with good results. Fresh juice traditional for skin conditions.
What The Evidence Says
Dandelion is a regulatory paradox - officially approved as medicine in Germany and recognized as a traditional herbal medicinal product by the European Medicines Agency, yet there’s essentially only one published human trial.
That single study tells us this: in 17 healthy women, 8 mL of fresh leaf extract three times daily significantly increased urination frequency within 5 hours (p<0.05) and excretion ratio (p<0.001). No adverse effects. That’s it. That’s the human evidence for 1,000+ years of traditional use.
What we know from that one trial:
Diuretic effect is real and measurable
Works within hours (5-hour window after first dose showed results)
Appears safe in short-term use (single day, 17 people)
What we don’t know from human trials:
Hepatoprotective effects (only animal studies)
Antidiabetic effects (only test tube studies)
Anti-inflammatory effects (only cells and animals)
Specific dosing: 3-4g root or 10-15 drops tincture twice daily; 4-10g leaves or 2-5 mL tincture three times daily
European Medicines Agency (2016):
Traditional herbal medicinal product status
At least 30 years documented use in EU (actually much longer)
Mild digestive disorders and diuretic
Maximum 2 weeks continuous use recommended
Traditional Chinese Medicine:
Recorded in Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2020
Centuries of use (specific applications less documented in Western sources)
Related species Taraxacum mongolicum used similarly
The convergence: When German regulatory medicine, European folk traditions, and Chinese pharmacopoeias all recognize the same plant for similar uses (digestive, diuretic), that’s notable. But the human evidence hasn’t caught up to the tradition.
How To Try It
Choose Your Preparation
Leaf tea (for fluid retention, diuretic effect):
4-10g dried leaves in 250 mL boiling water
Steep 10-15 minutes, strain
2-3 times daily
Closest to clinical trial dose: 8 mL fresh leaf extract (1:1 in 95% ethanol) three times daily, but tea is more practical
Root decoction (for digestion, appetite, bile flow):
3-4g dried root in 250 mL cold water
Bring to boil, simmer 10-20 minutes
Twice daily, before meals
Decoction (simmering) extracts compounds from tough root better than steeping
Tinctures:
Leaf tincture: 2-5 mL three times daily (German Commission E dose)
Action: If you want these effects, understand you’re trying something based on tradition and test tubes, not human evidence. Close self-monitoring essential.
Who should avoid (contraindications):
Bile duct obstruction - ABSOLUTE: stimulating bile flow could worsen
Cholangitis or gallstones - could trigger complications
Liver disease - ironic given traditional use, but EMA says avoid due to lack of human safety data
Compositae/Asteraceae family allergies (ragweed, chamomile, chrysanthemum) - cross-reactivity with sesquiterpene lactones
Pregnancy/breastfeeding - no reproductive toxicity data, cannot recommend
Children under 12 - insufficient pediatric data
On ciprofloxacin - documented 73% reduction in antibiotic peak levels
Dandelion tastes bitter. Very bitter. This isn’t a flaw - it’s the point. In traditional herbalism, bitterness stimulates digestive secretions (saliva, stomach acid, bile). You’re meant to taste it, not mask it entirely.
The leaf tea is bitter and earthy. The root decoction is bitter and slightly sweet. If you absolutely can’t tolerate it, tinctures or capsules work, but you lose the traditional “bitter tonic” effect that happens on your tongue.
Quality Matters
The problem: Dandelion accumulates heavy metals from soil. It’s often sprayed as a lawn weed. Less than 1% of 2,500+ Taraxacum species have been studied - identification matters.
What to look for:
Clean source (organic, wild-harvested from known clean areas, NOT roadsides or lawns)
Proper species identification (Taraxacum officinale or closely related species)
Third-party testing for heavy metals (lead, arsenic, mercury, cadmium)
Third-party testing for pesticides (herbicides commonly used on dandelions)
Shade-dried leaves (higher phytochemical content than fresh or sun-dried)
Avoid:
Roadside or lawn dandelions (contamination risk)
Unidentified Taraxacum species
Products without third-party testing
Sun-dried material (lower phytochemical content than shade-dried)
The Bottom Line
Dandelion is officially recognized medicine in Germany and the EU with 1,000+ years of traditional use backed by exactly one small human trial. That’s the paradox.
What we know for sure:
Works as diuretic (17 people, one day, significant results)
Very low toxicity (LD50 27.2 g/kg in animals - extremely safe margin)
Regulatory recognition based on traditional use, not clinical trials
What we don’t know:
Does it actually help the liver in humans? (no trials despite strong animal evidence)
Does it affect blood sugar in humans? (no trials despite in vitro evidence)
Is it safe long-term? (no studies beyond one day)
What’s the optimal dose for any condition? (only traditional dosing exists)
When it might work: Mild fluid retention, poor appetite, digestive sluggishness, bloating. You may notice increased urination within hours (the one proven effect). Digestive improvements are traditional, not proven.
When it won’t work: As substitute for pharmaceutical diuretics in heart failure or hypertension, as proven hepatoprotective agent (no human evidence), as diabetes medication (no human trials).
The honest assessment: This is a traditional remedy with regulatory recognition and minimal human evidence. If you try it for traditional uses (digestion, mild diuretic), use traditional dosing, respect contraindications, limit to 2 weeks, and track results honestly. The single human trial suggests it’s likely safe short-term and probably works as a diuretic. Everything else is tradition, animal studies, and informed speculation.
Trying It
Duration: Start with 1-2 weeks. Traditional use patterns favor short courses rather than continuous long-term use. EMA recommends maximum 2 weeks for leaf preparations due to lack of long-term safety data.
What to notice:
Digestive comfort and appetite (within days)
Urination frequency and volume (within 5 hours of first dose in study)
Bloating and gas (traditional digestive use)
Bitter taste tolerance (may improve with time)
Any allergic reactions (rash, itching - Compositae family)
Start with low end of dosing range. Root preparations before meals for digestive effects (bitter principle stimulates digestion). Leaf preparations for fluid retention. Shade-dried leaves have higher phytochemical content than fresh (5833 mg phenols/100g vs lower in fresh). The single human trial showed diuretic effects within 5 hours of first dose - if it works for you, you'll notice quickly.
Combinations
astragalus — Synergistic antidiabetic effects demonstrated in vitro (Li et al. 2021). Combined extracts increased glucose consumption and glycogen more than either alone.
milk thistle — Traditional hepatoprotective pairing. Both used for liver support in European herbalism.
nettle leaf — Traditional diuretic combination in European herbalism.
Safety
Generally considered: caution
Contraindications:
Bile duct obstruction - ABSOLUTE: Could worsen obstruction
Cholangitis (bile duct inflammation) - ABSOLUTE: Could exacerbate
Liver disease - EMA contraindication despite preclinical hepatoprotective evidence
Gallstones - Risk of stone movement or biliary colic from bile stimulation
Pregnancy/Nursing: Not recommended in pregnancy or lactation. No reproductive toxicity data. EMA states use cannot be recommended due to lack of safety information.
Very low toxicity in animals (LD50 27.2 g/kg), but human safety data limited. Only one clinical trial (n=17, single day, no adverse events). Allergic reactions from sesquiterpene lactones (taraxinic acid) - contact dermatitis most common. Rare reports of hives, asthma, tachycardia, hypoglycemia, hypokalemia. Drug interaction DOCUMENTED with ciprofloxacin (73% reduction in Cmax). Theoretical interactions with antidiabetic drugs (additive blood sugar lowering), diuretics (additive effects, electrolyte risk), warfarin (vitamin K in leaves). Not for children under 12. Maximum 2 weeks continuous use without medical supervision.