Page 232 - Lost Book Remedies

The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies

with other medications except under the advice of a bark, 1 cup spring water or distilled water. Bring the
medical professional. water and bark to a boil and reduce the heat to a sim-
mer. Simmer for 30 minutes, then strain and allow to
Recipes. Cascara Tea: For this tea, you need bark cool. Sweeten the tea with raw honey or fennel to mask
that has been aged for at least 1 year. Do not use fresh the bitterness.
bark. Ingredients: 1 teaspoon aged cascara sagrada

Chaparral or Wounds, Burns, Bruises, Rashes: Antibac-

Creosote Bush, terial and Antimicrobial: A salve made from
chaparral leaves is a good choice for wounds, burns,
Larrea tridentata bruises, and rashes. An external tincture is also a good
choice if the skin is not broken. Chaparral has antimi-
Larrea tridentata belongs to the Zygophyllaceae (Cal- crobial and antibacterial benefits on the skin’s surface.
trops) Family. It is also known as creosote bush and I primarily extract it in oil for external use but you can
greasewood. It has a strong creosote smell. This plant also make a poultice from the ground leaves, apply it
is a prominent species in southwestern North America. to the skin, and cover it with a clean cloth.

Identification: Chaparral bush is an evergreen
shrub that grows from 3 to 10 feet (0.9 meters to 3 me-
ters) tall. The stems of this plant bear resinous, small,
dark green, compound, opposite leaves. Each leaf has
2 leaflets, which join at the base. The flowers have five
yellow petals. The fruit is covered in dense white hairs.

Edible Use: Not generally considered edible. I do
add some leaves to my water bottle when this plant is
around. It helps keep my water bottle clean and mi-
crobe-free.

Medicinal Use: The leaves are used for medicine. Acne, Psoriasis, Eczema, Dandruff: Anti-
They are antimicrobial, antibacterial, antioxidant, and Fungal: Chaparral Tincture or Oil can be used exter-
active against protozoa. nally on acne, eczema, psoriasis, and dandruff. The an-

Treating Toothaches: For sensitive teeth and tibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties are benefi-
toothaches due to cavities, heat the young shoot tips of cial as well as its tannins. It is a very good external anti-
the plant to produce sap, then drip the sap resin into fungal.
the tooth cavity. This seals the tooth temporarily and Arthritis: Chaparral Tincture made with alcohol or
stops the pain. oil works as a rub to relieve the pain of arthritis.

Pulmonary and Respiratory Problems, Ve-
nereal Diseases, and Urinary Tract Infec-
tions: In the past, Chaparral Tea and Chaparral Tinc-
ture were used as an expectorant for respiratory prob-
lems and as a pulmonary antiseptic, as well as a treat-
ment for VD, rheumatism, and UTIs. In recent years
(since the 1960s), there has been some concern over
possible toxic effects on the liver, so I strongly suggest
limiting its internal use.

Harvesting: I prefer to harvest chaparral in dry-
weather before the plant has flowered so that the
6 Chaparral, photo by Adbar, CC by SA 3.0
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