Chaparral |
Return to Catalog |
In the North American desert, one of the most common plants is chaparral. It’s been used for thousands of years in Native American medicine to treat a variety of problems having to do with pain.
It was used on rheumatic joints by grinding the leaves and rubbing them directly to affected areas of the body. Decoctions were also made for bathing inflamed joints. It was made into tea to treat stomach and intestinal pain, colds, cramps, diarrhea, and the flu.
Some people even chewed on chaparral twigs to help relieve problems with tooth pain. The resin of chaparral was also placed directly onto infected teeth to relieve pain. When Europeans settled into North America, they too used chaparral – only it was often used to treat skin conditions and sexually transmitted diseases.
For a while, chaparral fell out of use, but in the late twentieth century it became popular again. It was used for treating acne and seemed to have some effect on cancer treatment for leukemia. In the early 1990s, sales of chaparral were actually suspended because of the fear that some of its use was linked to hepatitis, but in the end no relationship was proven and it went back on the market.
However, because of that scare, many herbalists agree that you shouldn’t use chaparral internally. This is especially true if you’ve ever had problems with your liver. Still, there are many uses for chaparral being used externally and you may benefit from doing so.
You can purchase chaparral leaf powder widely. It can be used as a tincture or tea to help treat external pain – especially joint pain. If you choose to use it internally, you may want to be supervised by a professional who can make sure you don’t take too much or continue using it after it’s affected your liver.
Current research into chaparral has found that it may have some strong anti-cancer properties. In fact, it can actually help to shrink tumors in some cases. However, this research is in the early stages and it may be a while before we see chaparral used in cancer treatment.
Chaparral, by most accounts, is a safe and effective way to treat pain. It can still be effective in treating problems such as colds and flu as well as cramps and intestinal problems.
It’s a good herb to keep in your supply when you need relief from muscle and joint pain, especially. Taking a nice bath in an infusion of chaparral can be just what the doctor ordered to relief inflammation and help you stay active and pain free.