Alternatives to lindane
=======================

* Soaring Bear

I can't say for certain that it would be any safer than lindane1 — we are, after all, talking about killing little buggers (mites and lice) — but an alternative might be a decoction of the common pokeroot (*Phytolacca americana*). Works for me.

For any treatment of external parasites, an important consideration is the timing of the second treatment. If this is applied more than 3 weeks after the first treatment, another generation will have appeared, and there will be a need for many treatments — and hence excessive exposure to the toxicants. 

**Soaring Bear** Pharmacologist National Institutes of Health Bethesda, Md.

## Reference

1.  1. Wooltorton E. Concerns over lindane treatment for scabies and lice. CMAJ 2003;168(11):1447-8.
    
    [FREE Full Text](http://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/ijlink/YTozOntzOjQ6InBhdGgiO3M6MTQ6Ii9sb29rdXAvaWpsaW5rIjtzOjU6InF1ZXJ5IjthOjQ6e3M6ODoibGlua1R5cGUiO3M6NDoiRlVMTCI7czoxMToiam91cm5hbENvZGUiO3M6NDoiY21haiI7czo1OiJyZXNpZCI7czoxMToiMTY4LzExLzE0NDciO3M6NDoiYXRvbSI7czoyMjoiL2NtYWovMTY5LzUvMzg5LjIuYXRvbSI7fXM6ODoiZnJhZ21lbnQiO3M6MDoiIjt9)