Taraxa Plus

Dandelion is a widespread plant found in Europe, North America and many other parts of the world. The scientific name of the dandelion is “Taraxacum officinale”.

The dandelion is a perennial plant that forms a rosette of toothed, green leaves. In spring, yellow flowers appear on long, hollow stems that look like small suns. After flowering, the well-known “dandelions” develop, which are covered with dandelion seeds.

Dandelion has a long history in folk medicine and cooking. The leaves can be eaten in salads and are rich in vitamins and minerals. The roots of the dandelion are sometimes roasted and made into a coffee-like drink. In some cultures the flowers are used to make wine or jelly.

In traditional medicine, dandelion is often valued for its potential health benefits. It is associated with supporting digestion, liver health and detoxifying the body.

The dandelion is a fascinating plant with diverse properties and uses.

Taraxa Plus is extracted from the leaves and roots of the dandelion plant and is rich in vitamin A.

Taraxa Plus was developed because there is clinical evidence that common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) can efficiently block the interaction between the ACE2 cell surface receptor and the SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins

Clinical background:

The illness known as Corona Virus Disease 2019, or COVID-19, was first reported in late 2019. This infection is induced by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

The known signs of this disease are dry cough, fever, fatigue, headache, myalgia and also diarrhea. In severe cases, people have become critical and developed acute respiratory distress syndrome.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus surface is covered by a large number of glycosylated S proteins, which consist of two subunits, S1 and S2. The S1 subunit recognizes and binds the membrane-anchored carboxypeptidase angiotensin converting enzyme 2 receptor (ACE2) on the surface of the host cell via its receptor binding domain (RBD). The S2 subunit plays a key role in mediating virus-cell fusion and, together with the host transmembrane protease serine subtype 2 (TMPRSS2), promotes cell entry ( 4 ).

This interaction between the virus and the host cell at the entry point is crucial for the onset and progression of the disease.

Hoai Thi Thu Tran et al. investigated the effect of common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) on the interaction between the ACE2 cell surface receptor and the SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins in a clinical study

On March 11, 2020, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). To date, there are new “variants of concern” of SARS-CoV-2 that are spreading rapidly: the British (B.1.1.7), the South African (B.1.351) or the Brazilian (P.1) variant. They all contain multiple mutations in the ACE2 receptor recognition site of the spike protein compared to the original Wuhan sequence, which is of great concern due to their potential for immune escape.

Here we report the effectiveness of dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) in blocking the protein-protein interaction of Spike S1 with the human ACE2 cell surface receptor. This could be true for the original Spike D614, but also for its mutated forms (D614G, N501Y and a mixture of K417N,

E484K, N501Y) in human HEK293-hACE2 kidney and A549-hACE2-TMPRSS2 lung cells.

High molecular compounds in the water-based extract are responsible for this effect. Infection of lung cells with pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2 spike lentivirus particles was effectively prevented by the extract, as was proinflammatory interleukin-6 secretion triggered by the virus.

Modern herbal monographs consider the use of this medicinal plant to be harmless. Therefore, the in vitro results reported here should stimulate further research on the clinical relevance and applicability of the extract as a prevention strategy for SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Possible risks and side effects

Dandelion can cause an allergic reaction in some people when eaten or applied to the skin. If you have an allergy to other plants in the same plant family, such as daisies or thistle, you may also have a sensitivity to dandelions.

If you experience symptoms such as swelling, itching or redness, you should stop using Taraxa Plus immediately.

For most people, side effects of dandelion leaves and roots are minimal.