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Health Remedies - Head Lice

Head lice are parasitic insects specialized to live among hair present on the head. Their eggs, called nits also can be found commonly with head lice. Lice are highly contagious and can spread quickly from person to person, especially in group settings such as schools, play-grounds etc or by sharing hats, combs, hair brushes etc. They also can be transferred indirectly among clothing items when coats, hats and scarves hang or are stored touching one another.

The most common symptom of head lice infestation is itching of the scalp, caused when the louse bites through the skin to feed on blood. There may be itching in the area behind the ears and at the nape of the neck. The lice themselves are essentially harmless, although excessive scratching may cause bleeding of the scalp, which may increase the risk of microbial infection.

Useful herbs

Alnus glutinosa	To bathe swellings and inflammations, especially of the mouth and throat, to treat lice and a range of skin problems such as scabies and scabs (bark); to help reduce breast engorgement in nursing mothers, for treating cancer of the breast, duodenum, oesophagus, face, pylorus, pancreas, rectum, throat, tongue, and uterus (leaves)
Anamirta cocculus	As an insecticide to destroy pediculi and in skin diseases (seed oil); in the treatment of quotidian ague, to treat malaria, foul ulcers and scabies (fresh leaves); epilepsy, paralysis of pharynx and lower limbs (seeds).
Annona squamosa	Head lice removal (seed); for cancerous tumors (bruised leaves and salt combination), administered in acute dysentery and as a snuff to overcome hysteria (bruised leaves). Leaves made into a paste without adding water are applied to unhealthy ulcers and wounds. The leaf decoction is also employed in baths to alleviate rheumatic pain.
Chlorogalum pomeridianum	To treat wind in the stomach, rubbed on rheumatic joints, in the treatment of dandruff, to prevent lice and also to treat skin irritations including that caused by poison oak (bulb)
Chrysanthemum cinerarifolium	Lice infestation and intestinal parasites of animals (flower decoction)
Gloriosa superba	Antimalarial, increasing the secretion of gastric juices, laxative and as a tonic (tuber); leprosy and anthelmintic (root); to treat arthritis , piles, boils, for extraction of foreign body, for easy delivery, baldness, scrofula and ear diseases (root powder); effective against paralysis, rheumatism, snake bite, insect bites and leaf-juice effective against lice (root-paste). Various ethnic medical practices across India employ this plant for gout, stomachache,intermittent fevers, wounds, spleen complaints, syphilis, tumours, asthma, cholera, gonorrhoea, leprosy, piles, dropsy, labour pain and for acute spasmodic pain.
Millettia extensa	Killing intestinal worms (root), ticks, lice and other pests (plant and root).
Nigella sativa	In biliousness, colic, constipation, debility, fever, headache, herpes, jaundice, ophthalmia, parturition, rheumatism, sores, septicemia, sciatica, anal sclerosis, stomachache; to increase the secretion of milk, are good for digestive and menstrual disorders, insufficient lactation and bronchial complaints, soothing stomach pains and spasms and easing wind, bloating and colic, to treat abscesses, haemorrhoids and orchitis (seeds); to remove lice from the hair (powdered seed).
Peganum harmala	Asthma, uterine cancer, fever, laryngitis, malaria, menstrual disorders, problems with lice, Parkinson's disease, rheumatism, as a vermifuge, tonic, aphrodisiac, alleviating spasms and as a narcotic and emmenagogue.
Petroselinum crispum	Inflammations of the bladder, urinary tract and prostate (plant); to bites and stings of insects (bruised leaves); to get rid of lice and skin parasites (mericarps). An infusion of the roots and seeds is taken after childbirth to promote lactation and help contract the uterus; as a diuretic where it is effective in ridding the body of stones and in treating jaundice, dropsy, cystitis (plant).
Pimpinella anisum	In the treatment of various respiratory problems. It is a sexual stimulant and increases the production of breast-milk. It is used the treatment of asthma, whooping couch, coughs and pectoral affections and digestive disorders such as wind, bloating, colic, nausea and indigestion. Externally it is used to treat infestations of lice and scabies. Anise warms the abdomen, dispels gas and is helpful for belching, vomiting, chronic diarrhea, abdominal pains, sluggish digestion and hernia. Star Anise is used as a sedative, especially for nervousness and to induce sleep.
Veratrum album	In neuralgia; as an external application to kill lice, and cure the itch (decoction of root)