Chaparral Leaf

There are many claims made about chaparral leaf, known to the botanical community as Larrea tridentata. Some claim that dried Larrea tridentata is a wondrous natural herb that can cure everything from cancer to the common cold, while others claim that Larrea tridentata, while being an organic herb, is actually a toxin that does more harm than good.

Also known as the "creosote bush," Larrea tridentata is a flowering evergreen shrub native to the deserts of the Southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico. One interesting characteristic of this plant, which was an important native American herb for centuries, is that it produces a sap that prevents competing species from growing near it. The plant from which we obtain organic chaparral leaf is virtually immortal; although its branches eventually die off, the crown of the bush literally clones itself. One Larrea tridentata growing in western San Bernardino County, California, appears to be over 11,000 years old.

As a medicinal herb, Indians of the Southwestern desert regions used the sap as a sunscreen as well as in the treatment of blood poisoning and liver disease. The dried herb, when brewed in tea and ingested, appears to help the body rid itself of parasites as well as chemical toxins. Some studies indicate that some extracts of bulk Larrea tridentata have cancer-inhibiting properties as well. However, it also appears to contribute to the development of liver cancer in those who are genetically predisposed to the disease.