Quantification of Ethanolic Dandelion Root Extract on the Growth Inhibition of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Taraxacum officinale , more commonly known as dandelion, has anti‐carcinogenic properties that have been demonstrated to induce apoptosis in human leukemia cells. While some active components, such as taraxinic acid, have been characterized, the complex effect of dandelion root extract on eukaryotic cell growth warrants further analysis. In this study, Sacchromyces cerevisae (yeast) was used as the eukaryotic sample because of their definite cell cycle. Concentrations varying between 1%‐100% of ethanolic dandelion root extract were applied and the effect on growth was measured over time. The information collected showed a decreasing viability of yeast growth as the concentration of dandelion extract decreased, which is supported by previous research. This effect is rescuable and does not result in increased cell death at low volumes of dandelion extract. However, increasing volumes of dandelion extract resulted in improved growth, which lead to the indication that the inhibitory effect could be overcome by increasing concentration of another molecule in the dandelion extract. This contradictory effect indicates dandelion extract contains activating as well as inhibitory molecules. Further fractionation and characterization of these molecules was attempted to better understand the overall effect of dandelion extract.