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Chaparral is also known as greasewood and hediondilla. Historically, the herb has been used to treat rheumatism, stomach pain, arthritis and common cold. Chaparral originated in Argentina several thousands of years ago and is now found commonly throughout the South and West of the U.S. The stems and leaves of the plant give out a sticky black resin which stains easily. Chaparral Uses  Proponents claim that Chaparral has a slightly analgesic property that allows it to be used to effectively reduce inflammation, aid congestion and even slow down the aging process. Many even promote the herb as being a useful anticancer agent because it seems to be able to produce antioxidants that can block the action of free radicals. Research is still on to ascertain this property of the herb.
Chaparral is usually available as a tablet or capsule. It can also be used to make tea that is very bitter to taste. Tinctures are made of Chaparral. Since the taste of the tea is noxious to taste, most people cannot take it in this form without feeling nauseous. Tablets help overcome this. Mild teas made of the leaves were used to relieve flatulence and minor problems in digestion. A paste was made and applied to the skin to treat ringworm and other topical diseases. Native Americans using Chaparral The resin of the Chaparral plant is used for its medicinal properties, and is also used to protect wood and furniture from insects. The plant was originally discovered by Native American Indians. It gets its curious name because the plant grows in the areas known to have the chaparral ecosystem. Native Americans swear by the herb and used it for almost every malady ranging from bronchitis, snake bite, warts and blemishes. They used the herb to treat venereal sores and blemishes on the skin. Heated stems were usually inserted into painful and inflamed gums and cavities to relieve pain. Chaparral Cautions In the U.S, people used Chaparral as an anticancer agent in the 1950s and 1960s. But due to increased reports of illnesses and side effects, some dangerous and lifelong, people’s interest in the herb has reduced drastically. There have been no scientifically backed experiments that prove the effectiveness of this herb. On the other hand, some people consider Chaparral to be a harmful herb that can cause irreparable and life threatening damage to the liver. It can have such dire consequences that the FDA has even warned against the internal use of the herb. It can also stimulate malignancies and cause contact dermatitis. The herb may also cause nausea, vomiting, tiredness and fever. In recent times, Chaparral is combined with other herbs and is not used alone. A derivative of the herb was once used as a food preservative. Tests conducted in vitro show that the herb has antineoplastic effects. Growing Chaparral The plant is not very easy to cultivate because it needs harsh dry chaparral climate. The plant needs plenty of sunlight and grows well from healthy plant cuttings. The Chaparral plants have small stiff leaves and grow together in dense clusters.
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