Pharmacy

Q: My sister recently visited me with a bad cold and introduced me to echinacea. I now take it three times a day to prevent colds. What do you think about it? Are there any other natural cold remedies I can use?

A: Echinacea has been a disappointment. Although it has been the best-selling herbal remedy against the common cold, the evidence supporting it has been thin. A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that echinacea-root extract was ineffective at preventing experimental colds. Nearly 400 volunteers had cold viruses sprayed into their noses, but those getting echinacea extract fared no better than those on a placebo.

Two other herbs that may eventually prove more promising are Andrographis paniculata (available in a standardized formulation called Kold Kare) and Astragalus membranaceus. Both are Chinese herbs.

Q: What can you tell me about red-yeast rice? My doctor recommended this cholesterol-lowering supplement instead of prescription medicine. Can I continue to eat grapefruit every morning if I decide to try it?

A: Red-yeast rice contains some lovastatin, the ingredient in the prescription drug Mevacor. There are also other statinlike compounds in this dietary supplement.

Because of such ingredients, we think you should avoid grapefruit if you take red-yeast rice. Although the fruit and juice are refreshing, they can increase blood levels of many medicines, including some statins (Lipitor, Zocor and Mevacor). When blood levels go up, there is increased risk of toxicity.

Q: I had to laugh when I saw your article on curing hiccups with a spoonful of sugar. You said it was originally published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1971.

I had my first child in November 1947. I brought him home when he was 3 days old, and he immediately started hiccupping. I couldn't figure out how to stop it. My dad came into the kitchen and told me to put a tiny bit of sugar on the end of a spoon and give it to the baby. It worked!

I wonder where he heard that? From his mom, no doubt.

: Thanks for the history lesson. Home remedies are often passed down from generation to generation.

From Bee Staff:

A pharmacist has been arrested for allegedly stealing prescription painkiller medicine from a Sacramento County-operated pharmacy, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said Friday.

Marvin G. Gibson, 61, of Folsom (photo left) allegedly stole the medication while he was employed as a pharmacist at a the county's Primary Care Center Pharmacy in the 4600 block Broadway in Sacramento, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Gordon Taylor said in a press release. Gibson surrendered at the DEA office on Friday, Taylor said.

"We are seeing an increasing trend of prescription drug abuse take hold across the country," Taylor said. "This case is a perfect example of how addiction to pain medications can affect people in all walks of life, even those working in the medical industry."

The DEA started the investigation in June 2008 with an audit of the pharmacy, Taylor said.

Investigators determined between August 2007 and January 2008, Gibson allegedly stole Hydrocodone on three occasions, Taylor said.

He said court documents show Gibson admitted to stealing approximately 60 Hydrocodone pills for his own personal use while working at the pharmacy.

Hydrocodone is commonly prescribed for moderate pain, Taylor said. Hydrocodone is one of the most frequently prescribed opiates, and the number one abused pharmaceutical drug in the United States, he said.

Hydrocodone is marketed, in its varying forms, under a number of trademarks, including Vicodin, Lorcet, Lortab and Norco, Taylor said.

The DEA's Sacramento office conducted the investigation with assistance from the Folsom Police Department and the California Board of Pharmacy, Taylor said.