Taraxacum

Dandelion (Taraxacum spp) is used in many traditional and modern herbal medical systems, as particularly has been documented in Asia, Europe, and North America. The root is primarily considered a gastrointestinal remedy supporting digestion and liver function, while the leaf is used as a diuretic and bitter digestive stimulant. Preclinical research on dandelion has revealed numerous properties, including its actions as an inflammation modulator, diuretic, digestive stimulant, insulin stimulant, demulcent, prebiotic, immunomodulator, antiangiogenic, and antineoplastic, although not all studies agree. There are very limited numbers of clinical trials involving dandelion, and almost all of these involve complex herbal formulas containing dandelion as only 1 part. These formulas have been shown to counter indigestion, mildly help metabolize androgenic hormones, counter hepatitis B infection, reverse Helicobacter pylori-related gastritis, and reverse intestinal metaplasia. Overall, dandelion is very safe, although it may aggravate acute gastrointestinal inflammation. Further research is warranted on this widely-used, intriguing herbal medicine.

Nuclear DNA content was estimated using flow cytometry in 13 sections represented by 18 species of
the genus Taraxacum using propidium iodide as the DNA stain. Investigated plants represented diploid, triploid
and tetraploid species from sections considered both primitive and advanced, i.e., T. sect. Dioszegia, Piesis,
Glacialia, Mongolica, Scariosa, Obovata, T. pyrenaicum group, T. sect. Coronata, Palustria, Taraxacum
(= Crocea), Kashmirana, Ruderalia and Erythrosperma. Estimated nuclear 2C DNA content ranged from 1.74
pg in diploid T. linearisquameum (T. sect. Ruderalia) to 6.91 pg in tetraploid T. albidum (T. sect. Mongolica),
demonstrating 3.97-fold variation. The lowest monoploid genome size 1Cx = 0.87 pg was recorded in
T. linearisquameum (T. sect. Ruderalia) together with T. brachyglossum (T. sect. Erythrosperma), and the
highest one (1.73 pg) was recorded in T. albidum (T. sect. Mongolica), giving a 1.99-fold difference in the genus.
No significant differences in genome size were observed within T. sect. Ruderalia, similarly no intraspecific
variation was observed in T. paludosum (T. sect. Palustria) and T. serotinum (T. sect. Dioszegia). These results
indicate a high intraspecific stability of the trait. Preliminary comparisons of genome size in species/sections
considered to be close relatives were made. These data give tentative additional evidence for the close
phylogenetic relationship between sections Palustria and Piesis and against the close relationship between
sections Piesis and Dioszegia.

Recent studies have shown independent
control of apomixis elements (restitution/diplospory,
parthenogenesis and autonomous endosperm)
in Taraxacum sect. Ruderalia. We studied
inheritance of apomixis elements in the section
Palustria using the crosses between various sections
used as mother plants and apomictic T. paludosum
(sect. Palustria) as pollen donor. Non-apomictic
plants prevailed in F1 progeny, and a high incidence
of sterility was observed. Triploid non-apomictic F1
hybrids were backcrossed with diploids (sects.
Ruderalia, Palustria) and tetraploids (sects. Palustria,
Piesis), and produced various types of progeny.
These F1 hybrids were classified into three types
depending on the occurrence of parthenogenesis
along with restitution, and the occurrence of various
progeny in particular crosses (i.e. within the same
mother plant) was observed. The results indicate the
independent genetic control of all apomixis elements
in T. paludosum, and recombinations during a
restitutional megasporogenesis in hybrids.

The optimization and scale-up of inulin extraction from Taraxacum kok-saghyz Rodin was successfully performed. Evaluating solubility investigations, the extraction temperature was fixed at 85 degrees C. The inulin stability regarding degradation or hydrolysis could be confirmed by extraction in the presence of model inulin. Confirming stability at the given conditions the isolation procedure was transferred from a 1 L- to a 1 m3-reactor. The Reynolds number was selected as the relevant dimensionless number that has to remain constant in both scales. The stirrer speed in the large scale was adjusted to 3.25 rpm regarding a 300 rpm stirrer speed in the 1 L-scale and relevant physical and process engineering parameters. Assumptions were confirmed by approximately homologous extraction kinetics in both scales. Since T. kok-saghyz is in the focus of research due to its rubber content side-product isolation from residual biomass it is of great economic interest. Inulin is one of these add...

Taraxacum officinale L is a medicinal plant, which has enormous medicinal values against various types of liver disorders and it has traditionally been used for the treatment of liver problems by people from the South East Asia. Previously we have screened the crude methanolic extract of T. officinale against cytotoxicity induced by CCl4. Present study was designed to compare the protective effect of ethanolic and n-hexane extract of leaves in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced liver toxicity in rats. The extract (200 mg/kg and 400mg/kg body weight) along with silymarin (100 mg/kg) a standard drug was administered to experimental animals. It was observed that ethanolic plant extract has significantly reduced the negative effect of CCl4 as compared to n-hexane extract and effect of extract was increased with increasing dose level. Although both leaf extracts decreased the concentration of TBARS, H2O2 and nitrite contents which enhance due to CCl4 toxicity but effect was higher in et...

Taraxacum officinale L is a medicinal plant, which has enormous medicinal values against various types of liver disorders and it has traditionally been used for the treatment of liver problems by people from the South East Asia. Previously we have screened the crude methanolic extract of T. officinale against cytotoxicity induced by CCl4. Present study was designed to compare the protective effect of ethanolic and n-hexane extract of leaves in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced liver toxicity in rats. The extract (200 mg/kg and 400mg/kg body weight) along with silymarin (100 mg/kg) a standard drug was administered to experimental animals. It was observed that ethanolic plant extract has significantly reduced the negative effect of CCl4 as compared to n-hexane extract and effect of extract was increased with increasing dose level. Although both leaf extracts decreased the concentration of TBARS, H2O2 and nitrite contents which enhance due to CCl4 toxicity but effect was higher in et...

Urtica dioica, Taraxacum officinale, Calea integrifolia and Caesalpinia pulcherrima are widely used all over the world for treatment of different illnesses. In Mexico, these plants are traditionally used to alleviate or counteract rheumatism and inflammatory muscle diseases. In the present study we evaluated the activity of aqueous and methanolic extracts of these four plants, on the replication of dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV2). Extraction process was carried out in a Soxtherm® system at 60, 85 and 120 °C; a chemical fractionation in silica gel chromatography was performed and compounds present in the active fractions were identified by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MSn. The cytotoxic concentration and the inhibitory effect of extracts or fractions on the DENV2 replication were analyzed in the BHK-21 cell line (plaque forming assay). The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC) and the selectivity index (SI) were calculated for the extracts and fractions. The methanolic extracts at 60 °C of T. o...

Taraxacum officinale L is a medicinal plant, which has enormous medicinal values against various types of liver disorders and it has traditionally been used for the treatment of liver problems by people from the South East Asia. Previously we have screened the crude methanolic extract of T. officinale against cytotoxicity induced by CCl4. Present study was designed to compare the protective effect of ethanolic and n-hexane extract of leaves in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced liver toxicity in rats. The extract (200 mg/kg and 400mg/kg body weight) along with silymarin (100 mg/kg) a standard drug was administered to experimental animals. It was observed that ethanolic plant extract has significantly reduced the negative effect of CCl4 as compared to n-hexane extract and effect of extract was increased with increasing dose level. Although both leaf extracts decreased the concentration of TBARS, H2O2 and nitrite contents which enhance due to CCl4 toxicity but effect was higher in et...

Alkaloids, polyphenols, cyanogenic glycosides and saponins are among the main chemical compounds synthesized by plants but not considered essential for their basic metabolism. These compounds have different functions in plants, and have been recognized with medicinal and pharmacological properties. In this research, concentrations of the mentioned secondary metabolites were determined in the medicinal plants Artemisia absinthium, Cnidoscolus aconitifolius, Parthenium hysterophorus, Piper carpunya and Taraxacum officinale, from Ecuador, and related with cytotoxic effects against Artemia salina. Alcoholic and aqueous extracts from leaves of these selected plants were prepared at different concentrations. To assess cytotoxicity of these extracts, different bioassays with A. salina were undertaken, and the mortality rates and LC50 were obtained. Besides, concentrations of alkaloids, cyanogenic glycosides, phenols, tannins and saponins were determined by spectrophotometric methods; this ...

Using ICP-MS and ICP-AES platinum group elements (Pt, Pd, Rh, Ru and Ir) and Ce, La, Nd, Pb and Zr have been determined in street dust, Taraxacum officinale (dandelion), Plantago lanceolata (plantain), Lolium multiflorum (annual ryegrass), Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus (moss) and Vascellum pratense (mushrooms) collected along highways and streets in Germany during 1999. Among the plants Taraxacum officinale (dandelion) reflects most adequately the pollution with the investigated elements matching the results from street dust. A strong positive correlation between all elements determined in the plants is established. Transfer factor for Pt between soil and plants has been determined in an agricultural experiment ranging between 0.004 and 0.008 for two types of soils.

Plants belonging to the genus Taraxacum have been used in traditional healthcare to treat infectious diseases including food-borne infections. This review aims to summarize the available information on Taraxacum spp., focusing on plant cultivation, ethnomedicinal uses, bioactive phytochemicals, and antimicrobial properties. Phytochemicals present in Taraxacum spp. include sesquiterpene lactones, such as taraxacin, mongolicumin B, and taraxinic acid derivatives; triterpenoids, such as taraxasterol, taraxerol, and officinatrione; and phenolic derivatives, such as hydroxycinnamic acids (chlorogenic, chicoric, and caffeoyltartaric acids), coumarins (aesculin and cichoriin), lignans (mongolicumin A), and taraxacosides. Aqueous and organic extracts of different plant parts exhibit promising in vitro antimicrobial activity relevant for controlling fungi and Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Therefore, this genus represents a potential source of bioactive phytochemicals with broad-s...

This study was designed to assess the effects of long term, high metal exposition (cadmium, lead, copper, nickel and zinc) on DNA damage in four plant model systems [Taraxacum officinale (Asteraceae), Matricaria recutita L. (Asteraceae), Robinia pseudoacacia L. (Fabaceae), and Urtica dioica (Urticaceae)]. DNA stability was investigated by a Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique. Agarose-gel electrophoresis revealed total of 37 bands with different molecular weights ranging from 1250 to 5000 bp. It generated distinctive polymorphism value of 72.97% (27 bands) total in four plant species investigated. The dendrogram constructed using NTSYSpc programme showed that there is grouping in separate clusters of the same plant model collected from two different areas (metal-exposed and control samples). The study concluded that the long term metal-exposing periods had genotoxic stress on macromolecules of plant model systems investigated and biomarkers used should be augmented for reliable estimates of genotoxicity after exposure of plants to metal stressors.

Plants belonging to the genus Taraxacum have been used in traditional healthcare to treat infectious diseases including food-borne infections. This review aims to summarize the available information on Taraxacum spp., focusing on plant cultivation, ethnomedicinal uses, bioactive phytochemicals, and antimicrobial properties. Phytochemicals present in Taraxacum spp. include sesquiterpene lactones, such as taraxacin, mongolicumin B, and taraxinic acid derivatives; triterpenoids, such as taraxasterol, taraxerol, and officinatrione; and phenolic derivatives, such as hydroxycinnamic acids (chlorogenic, chicoric, and caffeoyltartaric acids), coumarins (aesculin and cichoriin), lignans (mongolicumin A), and taraxacosides. Aqueous and organic extracts of different plant parts exhibit promising in vitro antimicrobial activity relevant for controlling fungi and Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Therefore, this genus represents a potential source of bioactive phytochemicals with broad-s...

In the present study, the role of ethanol extract of root of Taraxacum Syriacum Boiss (TSBE) against hepatotoxicity caused by acetaminophen (APAP) was studied. The chemical composition of roots of Taraxacum Syriacum Boiss was analyzed by SPME-GC/MS method. Hepatocellular injuries induced by acetaminophen (APAP) were assessed by liver histology, serum aminotransferase activities, antioxidant enzymes activity and lipid peroxidation in liver tissue. TSBE was observed to exhibit hepatoprotective effect as demonstrated by significant decrease in serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) concentration, and by preventing liver histopathologic changes in rats with APAP hepatotoxicity. Administration of APAP, significantly increased, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and catalase (CAT) activity in liver tissue and pretreatment with TSBE returned these parameters to control group, moreover TSBE reduces APAP-induced...

Imperata cylindrica Beauv. is widely distributed in tropical regions. The Korean folk medicine has described the rhizomes as diuretic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic [1] . Previous phytochemical studies of the rhizomes of I. cylindrica have resulted in the isolation of neuro-protective ...