Chaparral (Larrea tridentata)

Tier 4 — risky / avoid · Hepatotoxicity

A desert shrub marketed for "detox" and antioxidant benefits that carries serious liver damage risk. The FDA has received multiple reports of hepatitis, liver failure, and death associated with chaparral use. The active compound NDGA causes dose-dependent liver and kidney toxicity. No clinical benefit has been demonstrated in any human trial.

Dose: AVOID — FDA-warned hepatotoxicant; multiple cases of liver failure and death