Dandelions (was Re: horseradish for mold in sinuses?

[Guest guest]

Re: Dandelions

As a medicine, they are an herb used to treat heat and clear toxins in chinese

medicine. they are in some herbal formulas and available in raw and powdered

form

depending on symptoms and what is recommended by an herbalist. I have taken

tro

cool / clear heat from blood unrelated to molds in home - and took a formula

when

first moved into current place before knowing that it had a lot of molds

present.

>

> Here's a good overview of the medicinal value of dandelions:

> http://www.alternative-healthzine.com/html/0201_2.html

>

> I occasionally will use dandelions in my veggie juice (I buy organic

> ones at Sprouts or Whole Foods), but I have picked them myself in the

> spring from my front yard (we don't use chemicals) and used the roots

> for tea and the greens in salad. Our yard was full one spring and I

> thought they would be good (likely my body craving what it needed

> since I was living in a toxic house at the time, but didn't know it).

>

> According to that article they are definitely good for detoxifying

> the liver.

>

> B.

>

>

[Guest guest]

I'm pretty sure that dandelions are related to the milk thistle which is the

source of many substances like silymarin.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silymarin

Silymarin

" *Silibinin*

(INN<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Nonproprietary_Name>)

(silybin, Legalon®) is the major active constituent of *silymarin*, the

mixture of flavonolignans extracted from blessed milk

thistle<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blessed_milk_thistle>(

*Silybum marianum*). It is used in the treatment and prevention of

liver<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liver>diseases because of its

hepatoprotective (antihepatotoxic) properties.

Clinical tests have also shown its ability to protect against certain types

of cancer <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer> (skin and prostate),

probably due to its antioxidant

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antioxidant>properties.

[*citation needed*] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources>

Chemically modified silibinin, silibinin dihydrogen disuccinate disodium

(Legalon SIL®) (injection solution), is used in treatment of severe

intoxications with hepatotoxic substances, such as death

cap<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_cap>(

*Amanita phalloides*) poisoning.

Poor water solubility and

bioavailability<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioavailability>of

silymarin led to the development of enhanced formulations.

*Silipide* (Siliphos®), a complex of silymarin and

phosphatidylcholine<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphatidylcholine>(lecithin),

is about ten times more bioavailable than silymarin. It has been

also reported that silymarin inclusion complex with â-cyclodextrin is much

more soluble than silymarin itself. There have also been prepared

glycosides<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycoside>of silybin, which

show better water solubility and even stronger

hepatoprotective effect.

The acute toxicity of silymarin and silybin were investigated by oral and

intravenous route in various animal species. No mortality or any signs of

adverse effects were observed after silymarin at oral doses of 20 g/kg in

mice and 1g/kg in dogs. The 50% lethal dose (LD50) after intravenous

infusion values are 400 mg/kg in mice, 385 mg/kg in rats and 140 mg/kg in

rabbits and dogs. These data demonstrate that the acute toxicity of

silymarin is very low. Similarly, its subacute and chronic toxicity are very

low; the compound is also devoid of embryotoxic potential.[*citation needed*

] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources>

Silymarin, as other flavonoids, has been shown to inhibit P-gp-mediated

cellular efflux.[*citation

needed*]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources>The

modulation of P-gp- activity may result in altered absorption and

bioavailability of drugs that are P-gp- substrates. It has been reported

that silymarin inhibit cytochrome P450 enzymes and an interaction with drugs

primarily cleared by P450s cannot be excluded.[*citation

needed*]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources>

Silymarin is among the popular complementary medicine for the treatment of

cancer. Its use has included treatment of varicose veins, menstrual

problems, depression, and low breast milk production. However, the most

valuable use of milk thistle-derived silymarin is as a liver supporter to

prevent and treat cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, and gall bladder problems. A

recent study suggested that silymarin may help diabetic patients by

assisting in blood sugar control.[*citation

needed*]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources>

"