Quality Control of Dandelion Samples: Evaluation of the Compliance of Dandelion Samples Sold in Herbal Stores in İstanbul and on the Internet According to the Turkish Pharmacopoeia

Background and Aims: Medicinal plants have been used by humans since the beginning of time. However, standardisation, safety, and efficacy of herbal products have become an issue to solve nowadays. The aim of this study is to assess the standardisation, quality, and compliance of dandelion samples sold in herbal stores and internet marketplaces in Türkiye. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate Taraxacum sp. quality in the Turkish market.Methods: Identification, macroscopical, microscopical, physicochemical tests, loss on drying, and ash value determination tests were performed according to the chapter ‘Taraxaci officinalis herba cum radice’ of Turkish Pharmacopoeia 2017.Results: It was seen that samples 2, 8, and 9 have foreign matter. The samples 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, and 11 have five anatomical structures of 10 expected according to the microscopical evaluation. Physicochemical tests showed that samples 3, 5, and 12 exclude both references. According to the loss on drying test results, samples 1 and 7 showed values above 10%, whereas samples 4, 5, 6, 8, and 12 showed values above 17%.Conclusion: All the tests conducted were evaluated together; samples 9, 10, and 11 meet most of the requirements in the Pharmacopoeia except for one expected zone in TLC and some anatomical structures. Samples 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 12 might have adulterated or belonged to a different species of Taraxacum genus. These results raise questions about the quality and standardisation of herbal products.