Research from the University of Windsor found that aqueous dandelion root extract triggered programmed cell death in over 95% of colon cancer cells within 48 hours during laboratory testing, and animal studies showed oral administration reduced tumor growth by more than 90% in mouse models.
The extract appeared to activate multiple death pathways in cancer cells while showing no toxicity to healthy colon cells, distinguishing it from conventional chemotherapy treatments that often damage normal tissue alongside cancerous cells.
Additional 2024 research identified taraxasterol as a key active compound that inhibits cancer cell viability by blocking inflammatory pathways, while studies have also examined the extract's potential against breast, pancreatic, and leukemia cells.
However, medical expert Paula Ravasco from Universidade Católica emphasizes that no plant, tea, or extract can cure a disease as complex and resistant as cancer, and laboratory results on cell lines cannot be extrapolated to human consumption.
While Canadian regulators approved clinical trials as early as 2013, researchers struggled to recruit sufficient patients and funding dried up, leaving human efficacy unproven despite promising laboratory findings.
