Taraxacum officinale Weber ex Wigg. · herb
Evidence tier: traditional
A gentle, potassium replete diuretic that supports kidney function, distinct from dandelion root which targets the liver.
Dandelion leaf is genuinely rich in potassium, and the traditional claim is that this makes it a diuretic that does not deplete potassium the way pharmaceutical loop diuretics do. This is a folk rationale, not an established mechanism; no source we found demonstrates that dandelion leaf produces a clinically meaningful diuresis in people, and the EMA registration explicitly does not rest on any mechanism. The bitter compounds, taraxacin among them, are the conventional explanation for the digestive and appetite indication, which is also traditional use only.
Traditional use only. There is almost no clinical data. The European Medicines Agency's HMPC monograph on Taraxacum officinale folium registers dandelion leaf as a traditional herbal medicinal product to increase the amount of urine in order to achieve flushing of the urinary tract, as an adjuvant in minor urinary complaints, and separately for mild digestive complaints and temporary loss of appetite. The regulatory language is exact and worth quoting internally: the indication rests EXCLUSIVELY UPON LONG STANDING USE, which is the EMA's formal way of saying that no clinical trial evidence was required or supplied. That is the whole of the authority behind dandelion leaf. The only human study of the diuretic effect we could find is a small uncontrolled pilot (Clare BA et al, 2009, n=17, no control group) reporting an increase in urinary frequency and volume after a fresh leaf extract, which the authors themselves present as preliminary. There is no evidence that dandelion leaf treats fluid retention, supports kidney function, or does anything a glass of water does not, and the traditional indication is deliberately worded as flushing, not as treatment. Note also what EMA registration does and does not mean: it certifies plausible safety and long standing use of a specific registered preparation, it is not a finding of efficacy and it is not a clearance of the whole safety surface.
EMA traditional use, adults. Comminuted leaf, single dose 4 to 10 g as an infusion, three times daily. Liquid extract (DER 1:1 in 25 percent ethanol), 4 to 10 mL three times daily. Expressed juice of fresh leaves, 5 to 10 mL twice daily.
Tea: 1 to 2 tsp dried leaf per cup, up to 3 cups daily, morning to early afternoon.
Avoid in significant kidney disease, hyperkalaemia. Caution with diuretic medications.
Pregnancy: avoid
Breastfeeding: avoid
Active compounds: potassium, sesquiterpene lactones (taraxacin), flavonoids, inulin
Remedies using Dandelion Leaf · Browse by body system · Check it against what you take
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.