A fine list of medicinal qualities are delineated in Dr. Christopher’s book, The School of Natural Healing, on page 78, including:  cancer, arthritis, rheumatism, stony deposits, stomach disorders, bladder problems, kidney troubles, hemorrhoids, leucorrhea, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, prolapsed uterus, pains, aches, bruises, cuts, inflammation of minor wounds, chicken pox, snake bites, venereal disease, sores, tetanus.  With all those medicinal actions, also listed is an infusion and ointment to apply to the malady. 

The O’odham natives of the Sonoran Desert used it extensively as a medicinal tea (Dimmitt). 

The manufacturers of Virastatin, an extract from the Chaparral, claim that it “works by inhibiting aerobic combustion in the mitochondria of cells.  This slows down cellular processes, including replication of viruses and growth of bacteria.  It is thought that this perpetual slow motion is why the plant lives for as long as it does.  The resins excreted by the plant, also inhibit the growth of other species of plants in its immediate vicinity effectively competing for water and food resources in harsh desert climates.  The patented processing methods used to produce Virastatin are specifically designed to eliminate the purported hepatotixic compounds (liver toxins) identified with inferior products (Shegoi).”  This Virastatin is being sold on the Web at a very high price as a cure for herpes, shingles, post herpetic neuralgia, candida, fungal, viral and microbial conditions, and those with immune systems that are compromised and resulting in such maladies as Bells Palsy, Kaposi’s sarcoma, Lupus, genital herpes, mononucleosis, and transplant patients.  This is quite a claim for an extract.