Is the variegated dandelion a dandelion?

Variegated Yunnan sowthistle is not a dandelion. These are two completely different plants. Moreover, this plant is not one that can be used as medicine. Instead, dandelion can be used as a traditional Chinese medicine for treatment. It can treat many types of diseases. The most common ones are acute tonsillitis, gastritis and other diseases. When dandelion is used for treatment, the condition can be sufficiently relieved and the effect is very significant.

Sonchus asper (Linn.) Hill. is an annual herbaceous plant of the subfamily Sonchusideae and the genus Sonchus. The roots are inverted cone-shaped, brown, and extend vertically. Stems solitary or in clusters of a few.

Functions and indications: clearing away heat and detoxifying, diuretic and dispersing nodules. Treat acute mastitis, lymphadenitis, scrofula, carbuncle, acute conjunctivitis, cold and fever, acute tonsillitis, acute bronchitis, gastritis, hepatitis, cholecystitis, and urinary tract infection. [4]

"Tang Materia Medica": It is used to treat breast abscesses in women.

"Compendium of Materia Medica": It can be applied to sores, and can also treat malignant thorns and fox urine thorns.

"Bencao Yanyi Buyi": It can transform heat toxins, eliminate tumors and tuberculosis, resolve food toxins, and disperse stagnant qi.

"Compendium of Materia Medica in Southern Yunnan": It can be applied to various sores, swellings, scabies, ringworms and sores; it can dispel wind, eliminate various sores and toxins, and disperse scrofula and tuberculosis; it can stop blood in urine, treat five types of stranguria and urinary retention, and benefit the bladder.

"Compendium of Materia Medica": It blackens hair and strengthens muscles and bones.

"Medical Collection": Nourishes the spleen and stomach, purges fire, promotes lactation, and treats dysphagia.

"Supplement to Compendium of Materia Medica": It can cure all bites from poisonous insects and snakes.

"Sui Xi Ju Diet": Clears the lungs, relieves cough and resolves phlegm, disperses stagnation and eliminates carbuncle, nourishes yin and cools blood, relaxes muscles and strengthens teeth, promotes lactation and benefits essence.

"Records of Medicinal Herbs in Lingnan": Roast it until crisp and retain its nature, take it with wine, it can treat stomach pain.

"Shandong Traditional Chinese Medicine": It is a detoxifying, anti-inflammatory and heat-clearing medicine. Treat jaundice, red eyes, difficulty urinating, and constipation.

Guangzhou Army's "Handbook of Commonly Used Chinese Herbal Medicines": clears heat and detoxifies, cools blood and promotes diuresis, and promotes lactation. Treat boils, skin ulcers, swollen and painful eyes, indigestion, constipation, snake and insect bites, and urinary tract infections.

"Commonly Used Chinese Herbal Medicines in Shanghai": Clears away heat and detoxifies, has a diuretic and laxative effect. Treat colds and fever, tonsillitis, acute pharyngitis, acute bronchitis, rheumatism, lymphadenitis, wind-fire red eyes, gastritis, hepatitis, and osteomyelitis. [4]

Dosage and Administration: For oral use: decoct in water, 0.3-1 liang (2 liang for large dose); mash into juice or make into powder. For external use: mash and apply. [4]

Contraindications: Do not use if you have yang deficiency, external cold, or weak spleen and stomach.

Overdose: Gastrointestinal reactions such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal discomfort and mild diarrhea may occasionally occur after taking the decoction at the usual dosage. After oral administration of a large dose (30 g/kg) of the decoction for 3 days, mild swelling of the hepatocytes and renal tubular epithelial cells and narrowing of the renal tubules were observed in the experimental rabbits, but no other obvious changes were observed. In subacute toxicity tests on mice and rabbits, a small amount of casts may appear in the urine and the renal tubular epithelial cells may be turbid and swollen.