Q: I have read that drinking oolong tea might alleviate eczema. I take Zyrtec for allergies and Hyzaar for blood pressure. I also use topical creams such as Lac-Hydrin on my rash. Is it safe to drink the tea?

A: An article in the Archives of Dermatology (January 2001) suggested that a liter of oolong tea daily could help relieve atopic dermatitis (serious eczema). There should be no interaction with skin creams, and we could find no evidence of incompatibility with your oral medications.

Q: I read in your column that some readers were having good luck clearing toenail fungus with Vicks VapoRub. I have suffered for years with toenail fungus in both feet, and doctors were never able to help me get rid of it.

After reading that tip, I immediately began using the Vicks every night before bedtime. All signs of fungus in my toenails cleared within a few weeks.

A: We have heard from many people that applying Vicks VapoRub twice daily to fungus-infected nails can be helpful. The essential oils in this familiar remedy appear to have antifungal action.

Not everyone benefits, however. Some folks have had better luck with vinegar-and-water soaks or applications of tea tree oil.

We are sending you our “Guide to Home Remedies” and “Guide to Novel Uses for Vicks.” Others who would like copies should send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped, self-addressed envelope to: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. RVi-77, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, N.C. 27717-2027.

Q: My husband is a workaholic. Even when he is sick as a dog he drags himself to the office because he thinks he’s indispensable.

Last week he came down with a doozy of a cold. The only medicine we had in the house was NyQuil, so he took a big dose, drank three cups of coffee to keep himself awake and drove to work.

He made it safely, but I think this was a dumb idea. Is there a better cold remedy for daytime use?

A: Taking NyQuil (nighttime cold medicine) and driving to work is not a good idea. The alcohol in the NyQuil (25 percent) combined with an antihistamine can be quite sedating. Just drinking coffee won’t necessarily overcome problems with reaction time and judgment.

Pain relievers like acetaminophen, aspirin or ibuprofen might prolong symptoms and make cold sufferers more contagious. Alternatives include zinc, vitamin C and herbs such as astragalus, echinacea, garlic, ginger and Kan Jang (Andrographis). Chicken soup is a time-honored home remedy.