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Chaparral

Larrea tridentata

Herbs & Roots. Native American, Latin American & Amazon and Dr. Sebi's list.

Also called Creosote bush, Greasewood, Governor's plant

Spanish: Gobernadora

Linked to serious liver injury

A desert shrub of the American Southwest whose leaves were brewed as tea, and which has been linked to serious liver injury.

Did you know? A clone of creosote bushes in the Mojave Desert is estimated to be about 11,700 years old, which makes it one of the oldest known living things.

What it may help, and how strong the proof is

Infections. Lab tests show some germ-fighting and antioxidant action. Human studies are lacking.
Traditional proof
Cleansing & detox. Sold as a blood cleanser. There is no good proof for this, and the herb has been linked to liver damage.
Not supported

Parts of the body

Liver, Kidneys & bladder, Immune system

Traditional use

Native peoples of the desert Southwest and northern Mexico used the leaves for colds, pain and skin problems. Later, it was sold as a blood cleanser.

How it is classified

Herbal actions: Antioxidant, Alterative. Energy: neutral.

How people take it

Old teas used the dried leaves. There is no safe dose today, and modern products should be avoided.

Tea, capsule and tincture.

Where to get it

Grows in the deserts of the American Southwest and northern Mexico. Mostly wild-picked. Sold as tea, capsules and tinctures.

Be careful

Linked to serious liver injury, including hepatitis and liver failure. Stop at once and seek care if you notice yellow skin, dark urine or belly pain. Avoid in pregnancy, breastfeeding and with liver disease. Avoid alcohol while using it.

Avoid if: pregnancy; breastfeeding; liver disease.

Mixing with other things

Don't mix
Alcohol (beer, wine, spirits)
Both can harm the liver, so mixing them adds risk.

The honest take

Chaparral was sold for blood cleansing and cancer, but there is no good proof it works for either. It has been linked to serious liver injury, so it is not a safe choice. It is on Dr. Sebi's list, and his claims that it cleanses the blood or cures disease are not supported by research.