Herpes Virus (All Types), Arthritis, Rheumatism

Chaparral

S. American Chaparral
(Larrea divaricata)

Pulvarized Leaves of "Hembra Jarilla"


Chaparral Tea
Code 325 -- Price: $4.95
Pulverized leaves: 85 gr. (net wt)
Makes About 6 Liters of Tea
(Using 15 g. or 2.5 T.
to make one liter / quart)

Chaparral Capsules : Code 325C -- $14.50
(100 x 260 mg. veggie capsules)
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Summarized Description: Chaparral is a traditional in South America, where the species here, Larrea divaricata, corresponds to Larrea tridentata in the U.S. and Mexico. It is better known as "Hembra jarilla" in the deserts of native Peru, where we have the leaves wildcrafted and milled.
Alpha Omega Labs was the first company to popularize the use of chaparral in escharotic preparations, beginning in 1990 -- and then at an accelerated pace when we introduced Cansema on the internet in September, 1995. (A history is provided in Chapters 1 through 3 in Meditopia.)
The entire Larrea genus is extraordinarily hardy, living in harsh desert climates for up to 12,000 years. Undoubtedly, indigenous peoples much have deduced its extraordinarily medicinal properties after observing that, unlike other plants, Larrea doesn't have any predators. Its massive array of protective phytochemicals (primarily lignans and flavonoids) keeps away viruses, bacteria, fungi, competitor plants, insects, and rodents. The only exception are small lizards, which eat the flowers when in bloom.
Unlike most of the other offerings in our medical tea category, this product comes pulverized, for maximum diffusion of the active principles (in tea) and absorption if made into capsules. A daily therapeutic dosage would be approximately 300 mg.
The "tea leaves" in this product are so finely pulverized that many users may simply choose to drink with the tea and forego straining. An important note on preparation : the don't call chaparral "creosote bush" in the U.S. for nothing. The taste -- for the vast majority is quite off-putting -- so you will probably elect to improve with honey and lemon.
Instructions / Dosages: Do not give to children under 12 years of age. Adult dosage: One capsule per day to start. After three days, graduate to one capsule, 2x a day. Between the ages of 12 and 18, no more than one capsule daily.

Shelf-Life
We know of no medical herb that has a shelf-life that compares to chaparral. We tell customers "ten years," because we've used dried chaparral of that age without ill consequence, as the Salves from which chaparral is made also have a confirmed shelf-life of this span. The truth is that we really don't know the true shelf-life, because we've never heard of any "going bad" -- not in our own lab experience nor in the extant literature. Moreover -- and just as amazing -- we have not seen any variation of powdered chaparral leaf lose potency over time.

Medical Properties
For this product, we cite the ethnobotanical findings of W. Dennis Clark, Ph.D., in monograph, "Treating Herpes Naturally with Larrea tridentata." (See additional comments in the column at right.) The title of the book is somewhat deceptive. Clark covers many other ailments, unrelated to herpes, and he provides excellent references. Moreover, as the chemical profiles of "tridentata" and "divaricata" are nearly identical, it should come as no surprise that both varieties have the same uses on their respective continents. We recommend the purchase of the book on Amazon for those interested in further study of chaparral's many properties. Clark derives the medical uses below from a database maintained by The University of Michigan. We wish to remind the reader that these are ethnobotanical uses and not curative representations made by Alpha Omega Labs:

ARTHRITIS, RHEUMATISM and PAINFUL JOINTS -- EXTERNAL
  • Cahuilla -- Plant made into liniment used by elderly people for swollen limbs caused by poor blood circulation
  • Diegueno -- Decoction of leaves used as a bath for rheumatism, painful arthritis, aching bones and sprains
  • Kawaiisu -- Decoction of leaves used as a wash for sore and aching parts of the body
  • Kawaiisu -- Poultice of heated leaves applied to aching limbs
  • Isleta -- Dedoction of leaves used as a body bath for rheumatism
  • Paiute -- Infusion of leaves used as a wash for rheumatism.
  • Papago -- Plant used for stiff limbs
  • Papago -- Green branches laid on ashes, aching feet and stiff limbs held in smoke
  • Papago -- Smoke from smoldering green branches applied for rheumatism and to joints
  • Pima -- Infusion of leaves taken for pain or used as bath and rub for rheumatic pains
  • Pima -- Poultice of heated branches and leaves applied for pain
  • Pima -- Infusion of leaves used as bath and rub or poultice applied to rheumatic pains
  • Yavapai -- Decoction of leaves and stems used as wash for rheumatism
ASTHMA, CONGESTION, CHEST INFECTIONS
  • Cahuilla -- Infusion of stems and leaves used for chest infections
  • Cahuilla -- Infusion of stems and leaves used as a decongestant for clearing lungs
  • Cahuilla -- Leaves boiled or heated and the steam inhaled for congestion
  • Hualapai -- Infusion of leaves taken or leaves steamed for congestion and asthma
BOWEL PROBLEMS
  • Cahuilla -- Infusion of stems and leaves used for bowel complaints
  • Coahuilla -- Infusion of leaves taken for bowel complaints and consumption
  • Mahuna -- Plant used for stomach cramps from delayed menstruation
  • Paiute -- Decoction of leaves taken for bowel cramps
  • Pima -- Decoction of branches taken for gas caused by upset stomach or gas pains
  • Pima -- Plant gum chewed and swallowed as an antidysenteric and intestinal antispasmodic
  • Pima -- Decoction of plant taken for stomachaches and cramps
  • Pima -- Plant gum chewed and swallowed as an intestinal antispasmodic
CANCER
  • Cahuilla -- Infusion of stems and leaves used for cancer
CHICKENPOX
  • Paiute -- Infusion of leaves used as a wash for chickenpox.
COLD MEDICINE
  • Cahuilla -- Infusion of stems and leaves used for colds
  • Hualapai -- Infusion of leaves taken or leaves steamed for colds
  • Paiute -- Decoction or infusion of leaves taken as a cold medicine
  • Pima -- Decoction of plant resin taken for colds
  • Shoshoni -- Decoction of leaves taken for colds
  • Yavapai -- Decoction of leaves and stems taken for sore throat
DISINFECTANT / ANTISEPTIC
  • Cahuilla -- Infusion of stems and leaves used to draw out poisons and for infections
  • Hualapai -- Infusion of leaves used as a disinfecting skin cleanser
  • Isleta -- Decoction of leaves used as a disinfectant
  • Kawaiisu -- Plant used for antiseptic properties
  • Mahuna -- Infusion of plant used as a disinfectant and deodorizer
DIURETIC
  • Pima Drug -- Infusion of leaves taken for dysuria (difficulty in passing urine)
  • Shoshoni -- Decoction of leaves taken to "stimulate urination."
EMETIC
  • Cahuilla -- Infusion of stems and leaves used, in heavy doses, to induce vomiting
  • Papago -- Decoction of leaves taken as an emetic
  • Pima Drug -- Decoction of leaves taken as an emetic
  • Pima -- Decoction of leaves taken as an emetic for high fevers
GENERAL MEDICAL USE
  • Pima -- Plant used to cure everthing
  • Kawaiisu -- Plant used for medicinal purposes
  • Pima -- Smoke from plant used for weakness and laziness
  • Pima -- Poultice of boiled leaves used for unspecified purpose
  • Cahuilla -- Infusion of stems and leaves mixed with honey and used as a general health tonic before breakfast
  • Paiute -- Plant used for many different illnesses and ocnsidered a "cure-all."
GYNECOLOGICAL AID
  • Cahuilla -- Infusion of stems and leaves used for stomach cramps from delayed menstruation
  • Papago -- Branches used as bed for women with menstrual cramps or after childbirth
  • Papago -- Infusion of leaves used on breasts to start milk flow
  • Papago -- Poultice of heated branches applied to facilitate childbirth
ORAL RINSE, TOOTHACHE
  • Pima -- Decoction of gum used as a gargle
  • Pima -- Infusion of plant held in the mouth for toothaches
PAIN, HEADACHE & FEVER -- INTERNAL
  • Paiute -- Decoction of leaves taken for bowel cramps
  • Pima -- Decoction of leaves taken as an emetic for high fevers
  • Pima -- Decoction of twigs taken for gas pains or headaches caused by upset stomaches
SKIN DISORDERS
  • Cahuilla -- Crushed leaf powder applied to sores and wounds
  • Cahuilla -- Decoction or poultice of leaves used on open wounds
  • Isleta -- Leaves used in shoes to absorb moisture
  • Mahuna -- Infusion of plant used for dandruff
  • Paiute -- Compound decoction of leaves with badger oil used as a salve for burns
  • Paiute -- Dried, powdered leaves sprinkled on sores
  • Papago -- Plant used for poisonous bites and sores
  • Papago -- Dried, powdered leaf rubbed on infant's navel to promote healing
  • Papago -- Poultice of chewed leaves placed on insect bites, spider bites, scorpion bites, snakebites and sores.
  • Pima -- Infusion of plant used as wash for impetigo sores or dandrugg
  • Yavapai -- Decoction of leaves and stems used as a wash for cuts and sores
  • Yavapai -- Dried, pulverized leaves used for sores
TUBERCULOSIS
  • Coahuilla -- Infusion of leaves taken for consumption and bowel complaints
  • Pima -- Decoction of gum taken for tuberculosis
VENEREAL DISEASE
  • Paiute -- Compound decoction of leaves taken for gonorrhea
  • Shoshoni -- Decoction of leaves taken for venereal disease
  • Yavapai -- Decoction of leaves and stems used as a wash for gonorrhea
  • Yavapai -- Whole leaves used on penis for gonorrhea
VETERINARY
  • Coahuilla -- Plant given to horses for colds, distemper or runny nose
  • Kawaiisu -- Decoction of leaves used for collar sores on draft animals




To U.S. Users: This product have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

"Hembra Jarilla", as South American chaparral is called in Peru, grows wild in the deserts of that country, where we have the plant wildcrafted and milled for our specifications -- for this product and as an ingredient in Cansema Black Topical Salves.


Medical uses described in the column at left are taken from W. Dennis Clark's book, "Treating Herpes Naturally with Larrea tridentata." (p. 50-52)
The tribes in North America where the plant is native with documented uses include:
  • Arizona -- Papago, Pima, Yavapai, Hualapai
  • California -- Coahuilla, Diegueno, Kawaiisu, Mahuna
  • Nevada -- Paiute, Shoshoni
  • New Mexico -- Isleta



Chaparral --- A
Personal Journey

[ Greg Caton ]

In the summer of 1963, I asked my parents if I could go on a YMCA camping trip as part of my summer vacation. Back in those days, parents in the Los Angeles area could send their children on a supervised trek through the arid desert lands outside the county for $15 a week.
At the time, I was only seven years old, and this would be the longest time I had ever spent away from my parents. I took some supplies, toiletries, a brown, cotton, sleeping bag, and off I went. (I did this for three weeks.)
The guides were there not just to supervise their young cohort, but to educate them, as well. They taught us about different flora and fauna. How to survive in the wilderness. Wild plants you could eat and what plants to avoid . . . so many things . . . things I have long forgotten.
Except one.
The unmistakeable smell of chapparal.
It was as if it defined the place, haunting me so that even as a child I would stop walking when I caught a whiff with the soft desert breeze. In fact, years later I forgot the name of the plant, but I remembered that smell . . .so much so, it was hard to imagine being in the desert and not feeling its presence.
Twenty-six years later, I encountered this plant again -- in Louisiana -- a place where the plant doesn't even grow. As an apprentice studying under Dr. Russell Jordan (see Chapter One of Meditopia), I learned of its medicinal properties and found myself as if reconnected to an old friend . . . having first met when I was too young to have comprehended what this plant would teach me . . . too young to have known that at some point in the future I would be a practicing herbalist.
We all know that people can have a special relation with an animal -- a beloved pet. There are even people who look like their animals. I sometimes wonder if people realize that we can have relationships with our plants, as well. . . that just as we can have unique ties to other people and animals, we can share special bonds with plants.
The very concept might have missed me had I not had this unique experience with an exceptional desert plant. To contemplate its very spirit, gives me pause.