Botanical name : Taraxacum officinale Weber
Family : Asteraceae
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
Dugdhapheni, Luutaari, Payaswani
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Rasa : Tikta, Kashaya, Katu
Guna : Lakhu.
Virya : Ushna
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English : Common dandelion, Blow ball
Hindi : Dudhal, Kanphul
Malayalam : Dugddhapheni
Distribution – Throughout India, on elevation of 300-4000 m, especially Temperate Himalayas, Khasi Hills, Mishmi Hills, Gujarat and in hills of South India
PLANT DESCRIPTION
A small annual or perennial herb grows spreading over ground. Leaves radical, narrowly oblong, irregulary pinnatifid, irregular in shape, lobes linear or triangular, toothed: flowers yellow in ligulate heads; seeds glabrous achenes, flattened, ribbed minutely, spiny on the upper half, crowned with white pappus hairs aiding the dispersion.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Plant pacifies vitiated kapha and vita, chronic ulcers, cough, dyspepsia, colic, flatulence, constipation, kidney diseases, urinary retention, fever, skin diseases, inflammations, gout, stiff joints, insomnia, jaundice, bile stone and other hepatic diseases and general debility.
Useful part : Whole plant.
CHEMICAL CONTENTS
Most of the diuretics cause loss of potassium, but dandelion leaves contain high levels of potassium. The leaves and root contain sesquiterpene lactones (bitter substances); triterpenes andsterols—beta-sitosterol, beta-sitosterol-glucosides, taraxasterol, psi-taratexol and taraxol; flavonoids, including among others, apigenin-7-O-glucosides and luteolin-7-O-glucosides; mucilages; inulin (2-40% high values in autumn). The amaroids are cholagogic and secretolytic. (PDR.) An appetite-stimulating bitter has been identified as eudesmanolides (previously called taraxacin). The vitamin A content is higher than in carrots. The polysaccharides and aqueous extracts exhibited anti-tumor activity in animals. The anti-inflammatory activity has also been confirmed in animal studies.
The high K+ content of roots and leaves is considered responsible for the diuretic activity.
Dosage - Root 1-3 g powder. (CCRAS)
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Future of Ayurveda - Malayalam
Properties 