People's Pharmacy

For more up-to-date information on drugs, herbs and home remedies visit The People's Pharmacy Home Site at peoplespharmacy.us

Key Remedy Rescues Indian Princess

Posting Date: 05/23/2005

Apinol has been around for more than a century. It is promoted for treating insect bites, stings, scrapes and bruises. If the local pharmacy doesn?t carry it, Apinol can be found on the Internet (www.apinol.com).

Q. My husband was having severe leg cramps at night. Without telling him, I placed a soap bar under his sheets for two nights before he noticed. It worked! He?s had no more cramps. We still can't believe it!

A. We have heard from many readers who have had success with the bar of soap stopping leg cramps. The instructions are to put it under the bottom sheet, near where the legs will be. We don?t know why it works, but the risks are low.

We have included this remedy with many others for treating leg cramps in our Guide to Leg Pain. 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: Graedons' People's Pharmacy, No. RLS-5, P. O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.

Q. I have a problem with depression and, believe it or not, St. John's wort has been the only thing to offer any effective mood elevation at all. Unfortunately, it seems to also cause an outbreak of hives. Have you seen or heard of this?

A. An ingredient in St. John?s wort sensitizes the skin to the sun. This can lead to rash or severe sunburn, or you may be allergic to this herb.

* * *

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of this newspaper or e-mail them via their Web site: www.PeoplesPharmacy.org. Their newest book is The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies (St. Martin's Press).