The Name of Dandelion
It is not entirely clear where the name of the dandelion comes from.
It could be because the leaves look like a lion's teeth, the golden-yellow flowers resemble the yellow lion's teeth, or the lion's yellow teeth or the partially white root might have the resemblance of a tooth.
Taraxacum, the first part of the name, the name of the genus, derives from the Greek taraxos (disorder) and akos (medicine). A possible alternative derivation of taraxacum is possibly from the Greek taraxo (“I have aroused” or “cause”) and achos (pain), in reference to the medicinal effect of dandelion.
The name officinale means that the plant was used in the shop, in the office, in the ordination, i.e. for medicinal purposes.
Dandelion's indication for the symptom of bedwetting due to heat/inflammation in the kidney is made clear by the plant's common name in French. There the dandelion is often referred to as "pissenlit" - which literally means "to pee into bed".
Dandelion has an Effect on the Third Chakra
The doctrine of signatures is an ancient healing practice based on the idea that a plant's shape, color, and other characteristics can allude to its medicinal properties. This doctrine suggests that nature "signs" each plant with specific characteristics that can be used to identify its healing properties.
For example, the color of the dandelion is specifically linked to the Manipura chakra, the energetic center located at the solar plexus. The yellow of the dandelion flower is believed to be a sign of its ability to balance energies and emotions associated with the solar plexus chakra. This includes anxiety and nervousness. Both the chakra and the dandelion flower share the same color. The liver and gallbladder are also connected to this chakra and the effect of the dandelion is accordingly. One possible symptom of an imbalance in these organs is jaundice. The effects of dandelion described here have been proven in countless studies.
Dandelion let's us know about its
Cleansing and Cooling Properties
Dandelion is used for toxic liver, a swollen gallbladder, a blocked bile duct with thick, sticky gallstone buildup and a lack of bile secretion.
The plant's white, milky sap is believed to represent its ability to dilute fluids in the body, such as bile in the bile duct, restore fluid metabolism in the kidney, and thin synovial fluid in the joints by reducing heat and inflammation. This is why the dandelion is also used for mania, depression and insomnia, should it occur due to fluid retention, which often goes together with swollen mucous membranes around the sinuses and a coated tongue.
The hollow stalk growing straight up points us to the fluid-carrying vessels inside the body, such as the bile duct, lymphatic vessels, and the female mammary glands.
The white, bitter milk indicates its ability to detoxify, purify, liquefy, cool, reduce inflammation and even increase milk production in breastfeeding women and also improve the quality of breast milk.
The Dandelion's Ovaries and their Significance
The position of the ovary in a plant is significant, as a high ovary positioned above the base of the petal and anthers indicates the flower is oriented toward the cosmos, while a low ovary positioned below points toward the earth. This can indicate particular healing properties of a plant.
The dandelion has the starting point of its petals below the ovary.
This indicates a high ovary, suggesting an ascending orientation. A low ovary represents a Yin or descending direction.
In addition to dandelions, thistles are also examples of high ovaries. This means they are Yang plants which release their seeds with the wind, skyward.
The tiger lily is an example of a low ovary plant. In her case, the small black baby bulbs, the shiny balls in the photo on the right, form the fruiting body. This arrangement, with the fruiting bodies under the petals, indicates the Yin qualities of a plant.
The tiger lily is known as a nourishing, calming and protective plant, also known as a 'Yin' plant.
The High Sensitivity of the Dandelion
The dandelion flower opens at sunrise and fully closes at sunset.
Plants that are so heavily influenced by the sun are generally considered to be highly sensitive.
On the one hand, this can mean that they are suitable for plant essences for the treatment of emotional symptoms.
On the other hand, this can also indicate that the plant is suitable for treating sensitivities of the body itself or the emotional body.
For example, dandelion is useful in treating mania and depression from heat of the liver, as well as ocular sensitivity arising from the same cause.
The Order of the Leaves
The leaves help the dandelion absorb water. The arrangement of the leaves in a ring around the long straight stem funnels water right down the center, to the base of the stem where it is most needed.
Such an arrangement of the leaves indicates that the dandelion has an effect in the realm of the water element.
The dandelion is known for its superior ability to open up and restore the fluid balance in the body, especially in connection with blocked fluid pathways due to phlegm-heat . It is also known to have a diuretic effect.
Dandelion and the Elements
A very valuable way of applying the doctrine of signatures is to break down a plant by elements.
One way to do this, which comes from anthroposophy, is the division of different parts of plants into different elements. According to this nomenclature, the pollen corresponds to the ether, the flower to the air, the seed to the fire, the leaf to the water, and the root to the earth.
One can then assign different 'signature' properties of the plant to elements in order to feel more deeply into the plant.
Below are a few examples to clarify what is meant by this.
FIRE OF THE EARTH - DARK RED OR PURPLE DISCOLORATION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE ROOTS
Can draw toxic heat from the body, Indicated when heat has settled in the deeper tissues (muscle, bone) and is simmering. This is called "phlegm fire" in traditional Chinese medicine. The basic idea is that heat burns liquids while thickened liquids block heat from escaping to the outside, bone infections, diabetes type II, hypoglycemia.
FIRE OF THE AIR - THE YELLOW FLOWER, RELATED TO THE SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA, SHOWS A DEFINITE INVOLVEMENT OF THE FIRE ELEMENT
Heat in the lungs - flu, sore throat, chills with yellow phlegm,
Heat in the colon - liver toxicity, toxemia, photosensitivity due to liver heat
AIR OF FIRE - THE SMALL PARACHUTE LIKE STRUCTURES THAT LIFT THE SEEDS INTO THE AIR ADD AN AIRY QUALITY TO THE FIRE ELEMENT OF THE SEEDS.
Inflammation in the cardiovascular system, toxicity and heat in the small intestine
SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth)
WATER OF EARTH - THE ROOTS ARE FILLED WHITE COOLING MILK. THE ELEMENT WATER PLAYS A BIG ROLE HERE.
Catarrh of the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract., Cools the liver, diabetes, type II, hypoglycemia, indigestion, flatulence
EARTH OF FIRE - THE PARACHUTE LIKE, THIN, SILICA STRUCTURE OF THE SEEDS IS A REPRESENTATION OF EARTH.
Dullness of mind, lethargy, with fluid retention, cardiovascular insufficiency.
EARTH OF WATER - THE LEAF OF THE DANDELION IS VERY STIFF AND FULL OF MINERALS AND SILICA IN WHICH EARTH HAS A VIABLE ASPECT.
edema, chronic kidney infection,
WATER OF WATER - THE LEAVES ARE GUIDING ALL THE WATER TO THE CENTER STEM.
Ability to restore fluid balance - lymph system, bile duct, milk duct
Medizinische Indikationen für den Löwenzahn
muscle pain, swelling, heat; particularly in the sternoclydomastoid muscle and neck.
Stomach, indigestion, flatulence.
Swollen membranes around the sinuses, from chronic allergy and infection
mastoiditis;
Pain, swelling, or redness in the sternoclydomastoid muscle (side of the neck)
Bronchitis.
liver congested, swollen, gallbladder congested, bile thick, sticky, formation of gallstones, lack of bile secretion, jaundice from backed-up bile, constipation from lack of bile in the intestine;
Anemia from lack of bile production and recycling
Diabetes, type II, hypoglycemia
Menopausal symptoms due to poor liver function; Liver does not break down extra hormones
Edema, chronic kidney infection, cardiovascular insufficiency
Swollen, painful feeling in the kidney area, feeling better after urinating.
High cholesterol, high blood pressure.
Too much uric acid.
Akne, Abscesses, boils, age spots.
PMS.
Stomach, indigestion, flatulence.
Geographic tongue.
Patches of opaque white coating torn in places, underneath a red raw tongue body. Also suitable if all plaque has flaked off from heat, or if plaque is yellow or only traces of plaque are present, or if there is a dark, red tongue.
Dullness of mind, lethargy, with fluid retention
Mania in which heat burns the fluids ; Insomnia; Manic depressive.
bone infections.
High cholesterol, high blood pressure.
Too much uric acid.
Acne, abscesses, boils, age spots.
PMS.
Fever with high temperature, dark red tongue or tongue blotch.
Breast cancer.
Tongue presentations for which the dandelion is indicated
Below are indexed tongue presentations for dandelion root (1) from Atlas of Chinese Tongue Diagnosis, Vol. 1 by Eastland Press (2000)
Presentation:
Reddish with red sides, tongue body and tip contracted.
Black coating on center and back third of tongue, yellow on sides
Diagnosis:
Heat in the liver, lungs and heart, violation of the yin in the upper burner
Prolonged heat in the Yang-Brightness Channel (Yang-Ming) with violation of the fluids
Symptoms:
Pain in the throat
Dry mouth
Sensation of heat in the nose
Occasional nosebleeds
Congested nasal passages
Headache
This coating looks like tofu or soy cheese. Coarse flakes lying just on the surface of the tongue. This coating can indicate extreme yang and excessive heat within. A second interpretation of this tongue coating indicates an accumulation of toxins due to stagnation of food or metabolic congestion. In Chinese medicine this is called "cloudy phlegm". Dandelion is probably more indicated in humid heat but can also be used in case of stagnant food.
Prresentation:
Luminous red, narrow tongue body
Tofu-like, pale yellow coating
Diagnosis:
Kidney Yin Deficiency with violation of the Fluids
Retention of moisture phlegm in the Yang brightness channel (yang ming), transformation into phlegm heat, food stagnation
Symptoms:
Subfebrile temperatures
Pain under right hypochondrium/ costal arch
Foul smelling stools
Gas
Bloated stomach
Carcinoma of the colon with metastases in the liver
Here, due to excessive heat, the body color of the tongue becomes dark red or scarlet. The tongue either has no coating or shows remnants of an old coating. A scarlet tongue often indicates an infectious or septic disease.
What to look out for when Sourcing
The root should be brittle, rather thick, with a thin beige skin. Inside, it should have milky-white, juicy plant flesh. This is commonly referred to as a taproot.
The dandelion has a downward-growing taproot that can branch and grow up to 25 cm long. All parts of the dandelion plant bleed a bitter-tasting milky-white sap that is slightly sweeter in the spring plants. When digging out, if part of the root breaks off and is left in the ground, it will regenerate and produce a new plant.
When purchasing dried dandelion root, the root material should be a deep, rich brown color and a full, bitter flavor.
If the root comes with leaf material, it should be a rich green color, have a bitter taste, and be dried enough so that it's not brown.
Brown leaf material is a sign of bad stock.
An Easy Home Recipe
Cut the fresh fresh medicinal plants into small pieces. The smaller the pieces the better as they have more surface area for extraction.
Dried plant matter should be ground up into small pieces using a small coffee grinder or a mortar and pestle.
Empty the small pieces into a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Fresh plant material can be liquefied with a blender to reveal more surface area. Then fill up the glass with 50% (100 Proof) vodka to the top of the plant material. Clean the top rim of the jar, screw a piece of wax paper tightly over the opening and lid of the jar to seal. Shake vigorously. The jar should be shaken 1-3 times a day every day for 14 days. After 14 days the tincture is ready to be used.
(1) - Pictures by Barbara Kirschbaum - Atlas of Chinese Tongue Diagnosis, Vol. 1-Eastland Press (2000).pdf