GRAEDONS | People's Herbal Pharmacy Can shampoo ease jock itch?

Q. Are there natural ways to keep jock itch from returning? My husband has been using Lotrimin cream or other anti-fungals daily for about three years. Within two or three days of stopping the cream, the rash always comes back.
He has done all the recommended things, like wearing boxers and loose slacks. He dries off carefully after a shower. I am hoping you've got a home remedy that works.
A. Jock itch is a result of a fungal infection, which is why anti-fungal creams used against athlete's foot keep it at bay. Some years ago a reader reported that using Cetaphil lotion as a cleanser in that area was beneficial. The propylene glycol in this nondetergent cleanser has anti-fungal activity.
Another reader found that dandruff shampoo could also cut down on jock itch. He lathered up Selsun Blue and left it on the affected area for five minutes.
Dandruff is caused by yeast, a type of fungus, so other treatments that work for dandruff might also help against jock itch. Readers tell us original Listerine works against dandruff, so it might work against jock itch if he's careful.
An old-fashioned approach others have recommended is Whitfield's ointment. It contains benzoic and salicylic acids in an extract of oak bark. Your pharmacist should be able to order it or make you some.
Q. I was cleaning up my flower beds for fall when a wasp flew up and stung me on the cheek. Not only did it hurt, but I feared it might swell up so my eye would shut.
I remembered your writing something about a cut onion, so I sliced the end off an onion and held it on the sting for about 20 minutes. It took the pain away quickly, and the site did not swell up either. Thanks for the remedy.
A. Thanks for the report. According to Eric Block, Ph.D., an expert in onion chemistry, there are enzymes in fresh-cut onion that help break down the compounds in a sting that cause inflammation.
Q. I used to think Coumadin was just for old folks, but I recently developed two blood clots in my legs at age 42. My work requires hours on end sitting at a computer terminal, and my doctor thinks that contributed.
I am totally confused about what I can and can't eat and which drugs or supplements to avoid. My pharmacist warned me about aspirin and cranberries. Is there anything else I should know about?
A. Dozens of foods, drugs, herbs and dietary supplements may interact with Coumadin (warfarin) and alter the anti-coagulant effect. Some, like broccoli and other green vegetables, contain vitamin K that can counteract Coumadin, increasing the risk of blood clots. Others, like cranberries and tomatoes, might have an independent effect that could pose a bleeding problem.
We are sending you our Guides to Food and Coumadin Interactions and Herbal Remedies for a more complete discussion of this confusing situation. Anyone who would like copies, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (60 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons' People's Pharmacy, No. FED-192, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, N.C. 27717-2027.
Although people are frequently warned about aspirin interactions, regular use of other pain relievers like acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil) also poses risks. Arthritis remedies like glucosamine and chondroitin may increase the chance of bleeding when combined with Coumadin.
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.