Dragon's blood
Croton lechleri
Resins & Pitch. Latin American & Amazon.
Also called Sangre de drago, Sangre de grado
Spanish: Sangre de drago
Raw sap is not standardizedDragon's blood is a thick red sap from an Amazon tree, used on skin and sold as a gel, and a purified form is an approved prescription drug for diarrhea in people with HIV.
Did you know? The sap is red when fresh and dries into a hard, dark red resin, which is why people call it dragon's blood.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Digestion & gut health. A purified form of the sap, crofelemer, is approved for non-infectious diarrhea in adults with HIV, based on a placebo-controlled trial of 374 people. The raw sap has not been tested the same way.Early proof
- Wounds, burns & bites. Used on wounds in folk medicine. Lab and animal work suggests healing effects, but human wound trials are few.Traditional proof
Parts of the body
Traditional use
Amazon peoples used the sap on cuts, sores, and stomach troubles. Modern products are mostly gels and creams for the skin.
How it is classified
- Herbal actions
- Vulnerary, Astringent, Antimicrobial. Energy: neutral.
How people take it
Apply a thin layer of gel to the skin, as the label directs. Oral raw sap products are not standardized. Take the approved drug only as a doctor prescribes it.
Topical, gel and capsule.
Where to get it
Grows in the Amazon rainforest of Peru, Ecuador, and nearby countries. The sap is tapped from the bark, and it is sold as gels and creams.
Be careful
Topical use can cause redness or irritation. Taking the raw sap by mouth may upset the stomach. Keep it out of the eyes, and avoid it in pregnancy.
Avoid if: pregnancy.
Mixing with other things
- Works well together
Both are gels used on minor skin wounds in folk care.
- Works well together
Both are plant remedies used on minor cuts and scrapes.
The honest take
Dragon's blood has real research behind one purified drug, but not behind the raw sap sold in shops. Its skin and wound claims come mostly from folk use and lab work. Use gels on the skin only as the label directs, and do not expect the raw sap to match the approved drug.