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Chaparral, also called creosote bush or gobernadora, is Larrea tridentata, an evergreen desert shrub native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It has resinous leaves, yellow flowers, and a powerful scent that becomes especially noticeable after rain.
Traditional Use
Chaparral has a long history in Indigenous and Mexican traditional medicine. Historical uses have included skin complaints, respiratory conditions, inflammatory problems, rheumatic complaints, digestive issues, and urinary or kidney-related concerns. These traditional applications do not establish modern clinical efficacy.
Plant Chemistry
A major constituent associated with chaparral is nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA). Laboratory research has explored antioxidant, antiviral, anticancer, and other biologic effects of NDGA and related compounds.
Major Liver Warning
Chaparral has been associated with serious liver injury, including acute hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver failure, and cases requiring transplantation. Modern medical sources generally advise against internal use because a reliably safe dose has not been established.
Kidney & Other Risks
Kidney injury has also been reported, and people with existing liver or kidney disease are at especially high risk. Contact dermatitis and gastrointestinal adverse effects can occur as well.
Regulatory Context
NDGA lost its former “generally recognized as safe” food-additive status in the United States because of toxicity concerns, and health authorities have issued safety warnings about chaparral-containing products. This does not mean every chaparral plant is illegal to possess, but it does mean casual internal medicinal use carries significant safety concerns.
Research Perspective
Preclinical findings do not override the documented human toxicity record. Chaparral is an example of a plant where intriguing chemistry and a long traditional history coexist with substantial modern safety concerns.
Educational and historical information only. Chaparral should not be treated as a routine internal-use herb.