Dandelion is a member of the Asteraceae/Compositae family
closely related to chicory. It is a perennial herb, native to
the Northern hemisphere, and found growing wild in meadows,
pastures, and waste grounds of temperate zones. Most commercial
dandelion is cultivated in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania,
and the United Kingdom. Dandelion was commonly used in Native
American medicine. The Iroquois, Ojibwe, and Rappahannock
prepared the root and herb to treat kidney disease, upset
stomach, and heartburn. In traditional Arabian medicine,
dandelion has been used to treat liver and spleen ailments. In
traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), dandelion is combined with
other herbs to treat liver disease, to enhance immune response
to upper respiratory tract infections, bronchitis, or pneumonia,
and as a compress for mastitis (breast inflammation). Dandelion
root and leaf are used widely in Europe for gastrointestinal
ailments. The European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy
(ESCOP) recommends dandelion root for the