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HERBALPEDIA CHAPARRAL Photo credited to Stan Shebs made available on Wikimedia Commons May, 2005 (Link available in picture index) Larrea tridentata (in the past L. tridentata was considered synonymous with the Argentinian species L. divaricata, but most botanists now think of them as separate species) Family: Zygophyllaceae Names: Creosote Bush, Gobernadora, Greasewood; hediondilla; dwarf evergreen oak; hediondilla, gobernadora (Mexican) Description: The Creosote Bush is the most characteristic feature of North America's hot deserts. It is one of the best examples of a plant that tolerates arid conditions simply by its toughness. It competes aggressively with other plants for water, and usually wins, accounting for its prevalence in many arid locations of the southwest. This medium-to-large evergreen shrub has numerous flexible stems projecting at an angle from its base. It is usually less than 4 feet high, but can grow to 12-foot heights with abundant water. Its small (¼ to ½ inches), pointed, yellow-green leaves have adapted to conserve water and dissipate heat. The bush may lose some of these waxy, resinous leaves during extreme drought, but never loses them all. The secretion of the leaves gives them a varnished look and is responsible for the creosote smell. This aroma accounts for the Mexican name hediondilla meaning “little stinker.” These leaves are especially pungent after a rain. Its foliage provides refuge for crickets, grasshoppers and praying mantids. The flowers are inch-wide twisted, yellow petals bloom from February-August. Some individuals maintain flowers year round. The fruit is globose, hairy, reddish-white. It prefers well-drained slopes and plains, especially those with a layer of caliche, up to 4,000 feet. Cultivation: Perennial to zone 9. Needs full sun. Can survive without water. Looks better with some. To harvest: strip the leaves, flowers, seeds and small twigs off the branches and discard the woody stems. For external, antimicrobial use, older plants work better; internally, leafy, bright green ones are preferred. The dried plant is usually stable for up to two years. History: Chaparral is an Indian name referring broadly to any dense thicket of shrubs growing in alkali soils. Widely used by Native Americas, chaparral was taken as a decoction to treat stomach troubles and diarrhea. Young twigs were used for toothache. The leaves were applied as a poultice for respiratory problems and as a wash for skin problems. One folk use is as a hair tonic where it is said to grow hair on balding scalps. A recent remedy attributed to chaparral is taking the residue of LSD out of the system to prevent recurrences of hallucinations. The plant was listed in the Pharmacopoeia of the United States from 1842 to 1942. The genus name honors the 18th century Spaniard Juan Antonio Herbández de Larrea, a patron of science. Constituents: aromatic compounds: volatile oils; terpenes (pinenes, limonene, camphor, calamenene); vinyl ketones (1-hexen-3-one, 1hepten-3-one); other ketones: 2-heptanone, 2undecanone); fixed oil and resin; astringent compounds: Resin; falvonoids (ternatin, goyyspetin, herbacetin); lignanes: nordihydroguariaretic acid {NDGA} and others; Mucilaginous compounds: Polysaccharides (Gum) Energetics: slightly salty, acrid, bitter, cool Meridians/organs affected: kidneys, lung, liver Medicinal Uses: Uses: Chapparal is used for treating such ailments as: tuberculosis, bowel complaints, stomach ulcers and bowel disorders, cancers, and colds and flu. It is found to be beneficial to the walls of capillaries throughout the body, and so is good to take regularly in cases of capillary fragility. Chapparal contains N.D.G.A.. It is responsible for inhibiting several enzyme reactions, including lipo oxyginase, which is responsible for some unhealthy inflammatory and immunesystem responses. It has been shown to reduce inflammatory histamine responses in the lung, which is good news for asthma sufferers. N.D.G.A. is one of the most highly anti-oxident substances known to man. Several types of tumors, such as those in uterine fibroids and fibrosystic breast disease, can be helped immensely by a concentrated extract of the plant. Chapparal can improve liver function, causing the liver metablolism to speed up, clearing toxins, and improving the livers' ability to synthesize fatty acids into high density lipids (HDLs....the good quality cholesterol). The low density lipids levels (LDLs....the poor quality cholesterol) decrease. For people who have a history of heavy drinking, hepatitis, or exposure to toxic chemicals (all of which damage liver tissue), a combination of Chapparal with milk thistle seed standardized extract and Tribulus terrestris (common puncture vine) can help recover the normal function of the liver . The strong antioxident effects of Larrea t. appear to repair free radical damage caused by drugs such as cocaine and amphetamines. External uses of the herb include poultices placed on aching joints, and the tea or a fomentation (applied several times per day and left on the area) for such things as ringworm, skin fungi, and athletes' foot. For this type of problem, Chapparal can be combined with Thuja or Tea tree essential oils. Has also been used for reducing fibroids A study in the Journal of Dental Research showed chaparral mouthwash reduced cavities by 75%. Lipoxygenase and 5hydroxyeicosatatraenois acid are usually high in the synovial fluid of arthritis sufferers which means Chapparal’s ability to inhibit these can help here as well. As a poultice for arthritis, two methods of preparation are used. In the first, dried leaves are slowly heated in lard, cooled and applied as an ointment. In the second, Osha and mullein are ground and mixed with lard and beeswax, or lard and pine resin, and applied to the affected joints. A pint of the dried herb, boiled in a gallon of water for an hour, is added to the bath for an hour-long soak. More than one such bath a month may be too tiring. Larrea contains active flavonoids and ligans that, in addition to being anti-oxidants, act as antifungals, antibiotics, and antivirals. It is in this last capacity, as an antiviral that prompted investigations into its ability to inhibit the spl promoter HIV and as an inhibitor of Herpes simplex-1 in cell cultures; as well as Kaposi's sarcoma virus. Clinical evaluations consisted of testimonies from close to 36 persons. Larrea was prepared as an extract in an aloe-based lotion and was effective in reversing symptoms in nearly all cases of HSV-1 and shingles within 12-24 hours and in greatly reducing the severity of sores from Kaposi's sarcoma in people in full-blown AIDS. The lotion proved to work faster and to be more effective than acyclovir, the main drug for herpes. Typical daily usage: fresh herb 2-4 tablespoons; dried herb: 3-6 gm; extract: 4.5 gm dried herb, 22 ml alcohol, 23 ml water. Some traditional formulas are chaparral combined with alfalfa and yucca; pau d’arco and yellow dock; ephedra and senega; and with cedar berry. To prepare it, fill a blender halfway with the herb and put the whole container in the freezer, remove after an hour, grind for a few moments, strain the powder out, put the coarse pieces back into the container, return it to the freezer and do the whole thing again. If using a hand grinder, freeze the herb and the grinder first. When applied to the skin as a tea, tincture, or salve, Chaparral slows down the rate of bacterial grown and kills it with its antimicrobial activity. Chaparral will also help dry skin, brittle hair and nails and cracks in the hands or feet. Try 30 drops of the tincture or 2 capsules before retiring. Formulas: Black Walnut Salve (for fighting fungal infections such as eczema, ringworm and athletes foot. 2 parts Black Walnut; 2 parts Chaparral; 1 part myrrh; 1 part burdock; 1 part echinacea; olive oil; beeswax; tincture of Benzoin or Vitamin E; optional add tea tree oil 10 drops per ounce. Douche for non-specific vaginitis: 2 parts chaparral, 2 parts oak bark, 1 part marshmallow root, 4 parts periwinkle, 1 part yarrow. Strain the tea through cotton muslin cloth and douche. Chaparral ointment for skin cancer or rashes: 1 oz chaparral, 1 oz leaf lard, beeswax. Place in the oven for one hour at 180 degrees F, strain, cool, and then use. Mouthwash: use 1 Tbsp of dried leaves and stems per quart of boiling water. Steep 1 hour. Gargle. Because of its unpleasant taste, honey and lemon should be added to the infusion. Flower Essence: Chaparral is an important psychic and physical cleanser which is indicated when the soul has been overexposed to actual violence or disturbing images in the media. It is also a very beneficial remedy for drug detoxification, including heavy use of medical or psychiatric drugs. Chaparral is a remedy for modern civilization when the soul is subject in so many ways to chaotic, violent and degrading images and experiences. It works especially through the dream life to cleanse the psyche. Toxicity: Larrea has been under attack by the FDA primarily because it is being used as a treatment for certain cancerous conditions. The FDA claims that six cases of acute nonviral hepatitis in North America are linked to chaparral. In one of the cases cited a woman experienced liver failure. She was taking two capsules of chaparral with garlic in a tea of chickweed and nettle. Chaparral was immediately blamed, but it was never noted that this patient was also consuming atenolol, aspirin, was on a nitro patch, occasional tylenol as well as diltiazem hydrochloride (which has been known to cause liver toxicity). Extensive studies were carried out in the seventies and eighties by Dr. Norman Farnsworth, who found the plant to have no hepatoxic properties. Dr. Clark Watt and a group of scientists and doctors concluded after their studies that hepatoxicity was most likely due to an allergic reaction rather than "inherent liver toxicity." That being said, as with many plants, overuse can cause problems of nausea, loss of appetite, gastric pain and vomiting. It is best to leave the administering of this plant to the professionals who can diagnose and prepare according to proper guidelines and dosages. At one point in time chaparral was taken off the market because some batches were found to contain contaminants. Again with chemical spraying so popular today we all have to be careful of the quality of our herbs. Other Uses: This desert plant has been found naturally growing in heavy-metal contaminated soils. Previous experiments showed that the inactivated biomass of creosote bush was able to adsorb Cu(II) ions from aqueous solutions. The copper binding capacity of the creosote biomass that grows in heavy-metal uncontaminated soils was higher than the biomass that grows in heavy-metal contaminated soils. Experiments were performed to determine the ability of creosote biomass (grown in heavy metal- uncontaminated soils) to adsorb Pb(II), Cd(II), and Ni(II) ions from aqueous solutions. Batch pH profile experiments for the indicated metal ions showed that the metal ion binding was different for every metal tested but increased as the pH was raised as high as 6.0. The metal binding as a function of pH also varied for the creosote's roots, stems, and leaves. Experiments designed to determine how fast the metal ion adsorption process occurs, showed that the metal uptake is quite rapid. This suggests a metal surface binding mechanism. Binding capacity experiments showed the following amounts of metal ions bound per gram of creosote biomass: roots, 53.5 Pb(II), 20.1 Cd(II), 11.0 Ni(II); stems, 52.2 Pb(II),18.0 Cd(II), 9.1 Ni(II); and leaves, 58.2 Pb(II), 20.8 Cd(II), 11.4 Ni(II). A more significant binding capacity for lead ions was observed. A great portion of the adsorbed lead, cadmium, and nickel by the creosote's roots, stems, and leaves was desorbed by treatment with 0.1 M HCl (up to 99% in some cases). Results of Cr(III), Zn(II), and Cr(VI) binding to creosote biomass will also be presented. Biomass of creosote bush may prove to be useful to remove and recover metal ions from contaminated waters by using a creosote phytofiltration system. Interesting Fact: Up until the late 1970's, the oldest living thing was thought to be a bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva), living for nearly 5,000 years high in the White Mountains of California and the Snake Range of eastern Nevada. Then, Dr. Frank Vasek of the University of California at Riverside investigated the strange, circular growth patterns of a flowering shrub called creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) in the Mojave Desert. Dr. Vasek proved that each giant ring of shrubs came from its own ancestral shrub that once grew from the center of the ring. The interesting circular growth pattern can be explained by examining sections of creosote bush stumps (stem crowns) at the base of the shrubs. The original stem crown splits and fragments into sections. As the segments continue to grow outwardly (away from the center) they produce new branches along their outer edge. Over thousands of years the center wood dies and rots away, leaving a barren area surrounded by a circular ring of shrubs. One of the oldest shrub rings is 50 feet in diameter. It has been estimated that it started from a seed nearly 12,000 years ago. During its lifetime the last major period of glaciation in North America (Wisconsin Glaciation) came to an end, the great Egyptian and Mayan pyramids were built, the first human walked on the moon, routine satellites and manned spaceships orbited the earth...and the shrub is still living! References: Flower Essence Repertory, Patricia Kaminiski and Richard Katz, Flower Essence Society, 1996; ISBN: 0-9631306-1-7 The Healing Herbs, Michael Castleman, Rodale Press, 1991; ISBN: 0-87857-934-6 Los Remedios, Michael Moore, Red Crane Books, 1990; ISBN: 1-878610-06-6 The Male Herbal, James Green, Crossing Press, 1991; ISBN: 0-89594-458-8 Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West, Michael Moore, Museum of New Mexico Press, 1989; ISBN: 0-89013-182-1 Medicine Grove, Loren Cruden, Destiny Books, 1997; ISBN: 0-89281-647-3 Nutritional Herbology, Mark Pedersen, Wendell W. Whitman Co., 1995; ISBN: 1885653-03-4 Textbook of Modern Herbolody, Terry L. Willard, C.W. Progressive Publishing, 1988; ISBN: 1-55027-000-1 HERBALPEDIA™ is brought to you by The Herb Growing & Marketing Network, PO Box 245, Silver Spring, PA 17575-0245; 717393-3295; FAX: 717-393-9261; email: [email protected] URL: http://www.herbalpedia.com Editor: Maureen Rogers. Copyright 2014. All rights reserved. Material herein is derived from journals, textbooks, etc. THGMN cannot be held responsible for the validity of the information contained in any reference noted herein, for the misuse of information or any adverse effects by use of any stated material presented.