Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale): History, Characteristics, Chemical Composition, Medicinal, and Traditional uses
The Asteraceae family includes Taraxacum officinale, also known as dandelion. Dandelion gets its name from the French word Dent de Leon, which means “lion’s tooth.” In many Indo-European countries, the herb is known as “lion’s tooth,” as well as “lion’s tooth” in German and Spanish (diente de Leon). The serrated margins of the leaves allow this to happen. Eurasia is the origin of this plant. Its range includes Asia, Europe, North America, and the Northern Hemisphere’s temperate zone (Grieve, 1931). It’s been seen in India on Alpine meadows and slopes all across the Himalayas. It is found in altitudinal ranges of 1000-4000 m amsl, both extensively and narrowly dispersed (Hajra et al., 1995) It’s also known as Dudal, Radam, Bathur, and Haend in the Indian Himalayan region.