GRAEDONS | People's Herbal Pharmacy Vitamin study hints at help for Alzheimer's

Q. I just heard on the news that large doses of vitamins C and E have been shown to help stave off Alzheimer's in older people. Do you know anything about this? And if this is true, what constitutes a large dose? Apparently it is more than what is supplied in a regular daily multivitamin.
A. The research published in the Archives of Neurology (January 2004) shows that people who took supplements of both vitamin E and vitamin C were much less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease.
Because the investigators were asking more than 5,000 people what dietary supplements they took, the doses varied. Protection was seen at doses higher than those normally found in multivitamins (22 IU of vitamin E and 75 to 90 mg of vitamin C).
This research is promising, but other studies have not shown such benefit. Scientists need to conduct a large, long-term trial comparing vitamins with placebo to confirm these preliminary results.
Q. I had a plantar wart on the heel of my foot. After using salicylic acid bandages for about two months with no pain relief, I read about duct tape healing these warts. I started applying the tape after every shower, and in two weeks it killed the wart. It was amazing!
A. Thanks for the testimonial. Duct tape is worth a try for stubborn warts. A study of duct tape cut to the size of the wart and left on it for six days at a time showed that this treatment was less traumatic and more effective than freezing the warts off children's hands and feet.
We have gathered a number of low-tech approaches to warts in our guide to home remedies. Most have not been tested, but they have the advantage of being easy and inexpensive. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $2 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (60 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons' People's Pharmacy, No. R-1, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, N.C. 27717-2027.
Q. Please address adverse reactions from black cohosh. They are becoming more evident as women try alternatives to hormone replacement therapy for menopause discomfort.
I had taken black cohosh for only two months when my routine yearly blood work showed an unexplained significant elevation in my liver function tests. My doctor gave me a thorough work-up and found no cause.
Because black cohosh was the only new pill I was taking, I searched the literature and found that a few women have gone into liver failure, some requiring transplant, after a short time on this product. It was confirmed as the cause when my liver function returned nearly to normal two months after I stopped black cohosh.
That same week, my doctor had another patient in a similar circumstance. Because liver failure can be so devastating, women should have their liver enzymes checked soon after starting black cohosh.
A. Thank you for reporting your experience. It is unwise to assume that herbal remedies are always safe. Australian doctors have reported at least three cases of liver failure associated with black cohosh, and a woman in Chicago developed a serious liver problem within weeks after starting this herbal medicine.
Black cohosh is used to help control hot flashes. Side effects are rare, but your report suggests that they can be serious. We urge women who choose this remedy to ask their doctors to monitor liver function.
XIn their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of King Features Syndicate, 888 Seventh Ave., New York, N.Y. 10019, or e-mail them at pharmacy@mindspring.com or via their Web site: www.peoplespharmacy.org.
& copy; 2004, King Features Syndicate Inc.