**3.4. Dandelion (***Taraxacum officinale***)**

Dandelion is a perennial herb of multiple global varieties that has traditionally been used for liver, spleen, kidney, and gastrointestinal disorders, although there have been no clinical trials investigatingtheeffectsofdandelioninweightloss [27,178].Itiscommonlyaddedtoweightloss supplements,mainlyforitsdiureticproperties,althoughtheherbdoespossesssomemildlaxative properties [179-181].Therearenoknowndrugs interactionsbetween*Taraxacum*andotherherbs or drugs, although one study in rats suggests a probable interaction with quinolone antibiotics due to the high mineral content of *Taraxacum* [182]. In the study, ciprofloxacin (20 mg/kg) Cmax significantly decreased while Vd and t½ significantly increased when administered with crude dandelion extract (2 g/kg) compared to control. There is one case report of hypoglycemia in a 58 year old diabetic patient following a 2-week period of dandelion consumption in salads [183]. Thepatientdeniedchanges incalorie consumption, exercise,orinsulindosing.Diabeticpatients taking hypoglycemic agents while consuming dandelion should be monitored.
