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Common Weed Eases Alcohol Cravings

Posting Date: 06/06/2005

Q. Some time ago you had a letter from a woman who was drinking too much wine in the evening and wanted to cut back. You told her about a tea or an herbal concoction to diminish her desire to drink. She had tried it and was thrilled with the results. What was it?

A. She took kudzu root extract (available in health food stores). Kudzu (Pueraria lobata) is famous as an invasive vine in the South. In its native China, kudzu has long been used to help people control their desire for alcohol.

New research (Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, May 2005) has found that young adults who were given kudzu pills for a week drank less than two beers at a simulated party situation. Those who had taken a placebo pill averaged 3.5 beers.

While kudzu extract won?t magically turn alcoholics into non-drinkers, it might help others cut back on booze.

Q. I have been diagnosed with high cholesterol and have taken two different medications, Zocor and Lipitor. I had to quit them because of muscle weakness and pain.

A friend told me about policosanol, a product she found in the health food store. Her doctor recommended it since she cannot take statin drugs either. What can you tell me about this supplement?

A. Policosanol is a natural compound derived from sugar cane wax, beeswax or yams. While it may not lower cholesterol as well as statin-type medicines, data suggest it can lower bad LDL cholesterol and even raise good HDL cholesterol.

Side effects are relatively uncommon and include mild stomach upset, headache, insomnia or skin rash. Policosanol may interact with blood thinners and increase the risk of bleeding. Finding a quality product may be a challenge, since the FDA does not monitor dietary supplements.

Q. I cured my toenail fungus using a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and Listerine. I combined them in a quart jar with a screw-on lid and used a clean paintbrush to apply the liquid to the affected toes morning and night.