The common name dandelion comes from the French `dent de lion`, meaning lion`s tooth and refers to the dentate leaf edges. However, some are of the faith that the name has been inferred from the similitude of the yellow flower petals to a heraldic lion`s golden teeth. The name of the genus came from the Greek `taraxos` meaning disorders and `ahos` meaning remedy, suggesting the medicinal qualities of the herb.

Quite a widespread plant, dandelion grows in wild virtually all over. Dandelion is indigenous to Europe. In India it is found all through the Himalayas, from 300 to 5400 metres, and in the Mishmi Hills.

Methods of usage
Dandelion in either powered or blended form is equally beneficial for several kinds of diseases, like exhaustion, organic disorders, skin-infections.

Healing Power and Medicinal Properties of dandelion
One can find the substantial medicinal values of dandelion from the Arabian writings of 10th century, Welsh manuscripts of 13th century and English herbal literature of 16th and 17th centuries. With praiseworthy crusades of the herbalists, its merits are now well known and esteemed, both for its remedial properties and as a substitute for tea and coffee.

The whole plant is used by many herbalists, though the tea is normally brewed from its roots, which acts as a revitaliser. It boosts the secretion and release of urine and acts as a mild laxative.

Bone Disorders cured by dandelion
The easily accessible organic magnesium in dandelion makes the juice of the leaves, with or without the roots, helpful for all bone sicknesses. It is often blended with juices of leaves of carrots and turnips for treating these disorders.

Liver and Gall Bladder Dysfunctions cured by dandelion
Dandelion is both beneficial for liver and gall bladder, in their fundamental role of treating fats within the body and assisting the detoxifying role of liver. It is, therefore, useful in the ailments of these organs. Blended with the juice of watercress and with a diet without meat or much sugar and starch, it helps to make the liver and gall bladder normal, and exercises an advantageous effect upon the nervous system. Victims of hepatitis can hugely profit from dandelion tea.

General Debility healed by dandelion
Dandelion can be used as a general body revitaliser for its influence in defending waste functions of bowels, bladder and skin, which are the untiring excreting organs of human body.

Urinary Disorders healed by dandelion
Dandelion tea, made from buds, flowers, fresh leaves or even faded leaves, can be very effective in cases of urinary troubles. Its familiar names of `piss-Ie-lit` and "bed-wetter" point to its distinguishing effect, that of amplifying the flow of urine. It can be very useful in cases of slow start to clearing urine. It is, however, crucial with most urinary troubles to drink plenty of water or other benignant, non-alcoholic drinks, so that there can be a unhindered flow of urine.

Warts cured by dandelion
Dandelion is useful in treating warts. The milk from the severed end of dandelion should be put on the wart-infested areas twice or thrice daily.

Other Uses of dandelion
The soft leaves of dandelion are used as a tasty salad vegetable. The leaves should be frayed to pieces, rather than cut to keep their acrid flavour. These can also be cooked in a little boiling water or in arrangement with spinach and cooked in the similar manner. A flavoursome and favourable soup can be made with shredded dandelion leaves. The dried leaves are used for tea and as a component in diet drinks. Dandelion coffee is made from its dried, roasted, parched powered roots. It is a natural beverage, without the injurious effects of the established tea and coffee.

Composition
Dandelion is a sturdy perpetual herb and an appetising salad vegetable. The flower stems of this plant grow up to a height of 30 cm. The sharp leaves build flat rosettes on the ground. The plump hollow stem carries a sole brilliant yellow flower.

Nutritionally, the dandelion possesses extraordinary worth. It contains nearly as much iron as spinach, four times the vitamin A content of lettuce and is an exceedingly rich source of magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, calcium and sodium. A study of dandelion shows, it to consist of protein, fat and carbohydrates. Its mineral and vitamin contents are calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, sodium, potassium, thiamine, riboflavin, vitamins C and A. Its vital energy value is 45.

Dandelion contains a sour crystalline principle, taraxacin and a crystalline substance, taraxacerin. It also contains phytosterols, taraxasterol and humotaraxasterol.