Dandelion (Taraxacum mongolicum) is recognized as a medicinal plant, classified under the family of Asteraceae and is a perennial herb.

It is a perennial herb with a cold, bitter taste and has the ability to clear away heat and detoxify toxins, reduce swelling and diuretic effects, and is often used in the treatment of breast carbuncle, stomach carbuncle and other conditions.

Because it is rich in flavonoids, sterols, polysaccharides, organic acids, alkaloids and other functional components, it has antioxidant, anti-tumor, antibacterial and other biological activities.

In recent years, the extraction of flavonoids, sterols and other active substances in dandelion as well as functional research has become a hotspot, and the development of dandelion products has also attracted attention.

Dandelion biological activities

1. Bacteriostatic activity
Lu Baotong et al. observed the in vitro antibacterial effect of dandelion based on the extraction and separation of dandelion herb and found that dandelion extract had inhibitory effect on Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus lactis.

Zhong Zhensheng et al. found that dandelion extract had significant inhibitory effect on Escherichia coli and Salmonella.

2. Antioxidant activity
Wu Jie et al. studied the scavenging effect of dandelion flavonoids on hydroxyl radicals and DPPH radicals and found that dandelion flavonoids had better scavenging effect on both hydroxyl radicals and DPPH radicals.

Liu Yang et al. used response surface methodology to optimize the extraction process of dandelion, and extracted polyphenols from dandelion grass, leaves and roots under optimal conditions and compared their antioxidant activities, and found that all three had good antioxidant capacity, in which dandelion leaves had the strongest antioxidant activity, followed by dandelion grass and dandelion roots.

3. Antitumor activity
Dandelion contains a variety of polysaccharides, and polysaccharides have anti-tumor activity. It was found that dandelion extract showed good anti-tumor activity.

Zhao Shouxun et al. studied the antitumor activity of dandelion extracts with mice as the research object and concluded that the antitumor mechanism of dandelion is similar to that of shiitake mushroom polysaccharides.

4. Anti-inflammatory activity
Dandelion contains sterols, flavonoids and other functional components with good anti-inflammatory activity.
Dong Changying et al. studied the anti-inflammatory activity of dandelion sterols in mice, and found that sterols above 0.150 g/mL had better anti-inflammatory effect on the mouse ear swelling model, and had anti-inflammatory effect on the mouse hind limb toe swelling model.

Application of Dandelion

Dandelion has a variety of health functions and is a common dish in the daily life of people in northeast China. Dandelion is abundant and inexpensive, and the development of dandelion products can also meet the demand for natural and pollution-free green products.

1.Dandelion Drink
Dandelion drink has the characteristics of clearing heat and removing toxins, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, and it is a kind of drink integrating food and medicine.

Crush dandelion coarsely, add water to extract, into dandelion juice, add sugar, citric acid and other ingredients, stir, filter, sterilization can be.

In addition, hawthorn, green beans, pineapple, prickly pear and other fruits and dandelion composite drink has also been put into research and development.

2. Dandelion toothpaste
Dandelion has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, some people put forward the idea of developing dandelion toothpaste, the development of dandelion toothpaste for the common oral diseases have a certain degree of relief.

The dandelion toothpaste made of dandelion with Yizhi, Fritillaria and other herbs to remove heat and fire has the special effect of removing bad breath.

3. Dandelion Cosmetics
Dandelion acne cream developed by Gao Jianlong has the effects of anti-inflammatory, skin care and balancing oil secretion, and can be used for the prevention and treatment of acne.

Dandelion has the function of clearing away heat and dampness, detoxifying and healing sores, and has good curative effect on skin infectious diseases such as multiple folliculitis and contagious eczema, which can be used in cosmetics to clean the skin and avoid the invasion of pathogenic bacteria on the human body.

Dandelion in the chlorogenic acid, flavonoids, superoxide dismutase and other substances have a strong antioxidant and inhibit the role of tyrosine kinase, play a role in delaying skin aging. Therefore, the development of dandelion cosmetic skin care products is a new trend in the development of dandelion products.