Kidney chaparral

Chaparral has also been associated with cystic renal disease in rats (Grice et al., 1968 Goodman et al., 1970 Evan et al., 1979) and humans (Smith et al., 1994 see Section 16.5). Toxicity studies revealed that cystic nephropathy could be reliably induced in rats fed a 2% by wt concentration of NDGA for 6 wk (Evan et al., 1979). Renal toxicity may stem from the accumulation of theo-quinone metabolite. NDGA is converted to this metabolite in the rat ileum and cecum, absorbed into the bloodstream, and excreted by the kidney, where it is reabsorbed by the epithelial cells of the proximal convoluted tubules. In the rat, tubular changes are thus confined to the tubules in the outer cortex (i.e., the proximal convoluted tubules) (Grice et al., 1968). 

Several reports suggest that repeated exposure to chaparral is associated with adverse liver effects. There are isolated reports of renal failure, and of cystic renal disease and cystic adenocarcinoma of the kidney in individuals taking chaparral tea for periods ranging from 3 to 10 months. However, because of the limited amount of data, it is not possible to attribute the findings of renal effects to ingestion of chaparral tea. Cases of acute allergic dermatitis from dermal exposure to the creosote bush have been reported. 

Creosote Bush. A 56-year-old woman who had been consuming 3-4 cups daily of chaparral tea (an infusion of the leaves of the creosote bush) for a period of 3 months approximately 1.5 years prior to surgery was found to have cystic renal disease and cystic adenocarcinoma of the kidney (Smith et al. 1994). One of the components of chaparral tea is nordihydroguaiaretic acid. This chemical has been shown to produce cystic nephropathy in rats fed a 2% concentration for 6 weeks (Evan and Gardner 1979 Goodman et al. 1970). The concentration of nordihydroguaiaretic acid in chaparral tea is considerably... 

Creosote Bush. No information was located pertaining to adverse health effects in children or young animals from the creosote bush. There are very few data on human exposure to the creosote bush. Case reports of people who drank chaparral tea indicate kidney damage as a likely outcome (Gordon et al. 1995), while dermal exposure to the creosote bush may cause skin irritation (Leonforte 1986 Smith 1937). 

On page 682 of Hartwell s book there is a citation for the species Larrea tridentata of the family Zygophyllaceae. This is the common creosote bush, or greasewood, or chaparral of the desertlike regions of the Southwest. It is reported in the praiul-timate column of Hartwell s compilation that a tea made from the leaves and stems of this plant may cure stomach cancer, hver cancer, leukemia, lung cancer, and kidney cancer. This information is buried in the central files of the National Cancer Institute. 

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