In the library, I found a book on medicinal plants of North America, looked
under warts, and found at least 10 plants used to treat them.  This included
white cedar (sap from the leaves) and tea from the bark (or cambium?) of
persimmon.  I have also read that garlic and onion juice (with salt) will help
to kill the virus that causes plantar warts, but have never tried any of these
remedies.  I tried taping pieces of plastic on with electrician's tape, to
deprive the virus of oxygen, which eliminated the surface callus-like part,
but it gets oxygen from the blood and grew back.  I have also read that
vitamin E will work (grabs the free oxygen?).  I am not bothered by the warts
on the soles of my feet, just curious, has anybody tried a remedy that works?

27 responses total.

Item 5 is an extensive discussion of wart treatments. I recommend that you
do a   scan "keyword"  to find existing topics. You can also do a 
   find "keyword"   to find that keyword in all the responses in the cf
in which it occurs.

Frankly, I don't have much confidence in the pioneer methods above, although
some may have a basis to be effective.  Your body can get rid of the warts
on it's own if you beleive it can.  "Psychotherapy" has been documented to
be successful.  Also, though I've only seen this rarely, these warts are by
definition "self-limiting".

I describe in Item 5 my experiment (successful, in the sense of elininating
warts) in "psychotherapy". I got the idea from a statement in an earlier
edition of the Merck Manual that there may be a psychological component. 
That statement is no longer in the current edition. 

Rane, I don't know how I missed No. 5, I thought I had read all the headings
of items.  What is the command to find words in headings?  I just figured out
find "warts" will find them in responses.  Used to be this took so long I
never bothered to try.  Anyway, nobody mentioned herbal remedies, just
mechanical or psychological or store-bought chemical cures.  I am still
wondering if anybody has tried garlic or other plants on their feet.

Enter   browse   or just a   b    or   scan   at an Ok: prompt. To
locate a keyword, enter   scan "keyword"   . 

scan "warts" immediately (1/2 second) gave me items 5 and 50, thanks.

I did find "herbal" and there does not seem to be an item on herbal medicine
here, just homeopathy.  A lot of plants seem to hav developed defenses against
various viruses, funguses, bacteria, and larger predators.  Garlic and onion
are self-preserving for that reason and are recommended for many ailments.
Has anyone had any success with herbal remedies, besides a few that were
discussed in femme (including raspberry leaf tea and St. John's Wort) with
regard to PMS and menopausal symptoms?  IN E. Europe the pharmacies stock
little carboard boxes of lots of herbs.  I was prescribed one as a diuretic
for a bladder infection (or maybe as an antiseptic, or both - it was a
mixture).  Herbal medicine is much cheaper than the synthetic stuff in most
of the world, including China.
        I have tried garlic for a cold but gotten complaints about the smell,
before it had a chance to accomplish anything.

I don't much fear whatever it was that garlic and onions developed their
properties to avoid. 

Bacteria, viruses and fungus?  One website claimed that garlic cured
hepatitis.  Human and plant viruses replicate by the same mechanism.

Humans evolved their own defenses against baceria, viruses and fungus. I
don't believe that there is any evidence for anti-bacterial/viral/fungal
action of garlic and onions for people. If they did have such action,
they would be used medicinally, or extracts would be used medicinally. 
They aren't.

Have you noticed that garlic capsules are sold in the store, for people who
want the medicinal effect without the taste?  Historically, most medicines
were derived from plants, or occasionally from microorganisms (penicillin).

                               PLANTAR WARTS
            
   SYMPTOMS
     * small, bumpy growths on the soles of the feet, one-quarter inch to
       two inches in diameter, sometimes with tiny black dots on the
       surface.
     * pinpoint bleeding from warts when they are scratched.
     * pain in the soles of the feet when standing or walking.
       
   Plantar warts are tough, horny growths that develop on plantar
   surfaces, that is, the soles of the feet. Normal standing and
   walking tends to force them into the skin, and the pressure makes the
   feet very painful. Like all warts, they are benign and will eventually
   go away even without treatment, but in most cases they are too painful
   to ignore. Plantar warts that grow together in a cluster are known as
   mosaic warts.
   
   CAUSES
   
   Plantar warts are caused by a virus that invades the skin through tiny
   cuts or abrasions. The warts may not appear for weeks or months after
   the initial exposure. Like other viral infections, plantar warts are
   contagious, commonly spread in public swimming pools or communal
   showers. Virtual epidemics of plantar warts sometimes break out among
   people who share gym or athletic facilities or who engage in group
   activities where bare feet are the rule. Because most people build
   immunity to the virus with age, plantar warts are more common in
   children than in adults.
   
   TREATMENT
   
   Deciding how to treat your plantar wart may depend on your ability to
   tolerate the pain that the various treatments can inflict. Folk
   remedies for treating warts abound, and there is no single treatment
   that works every time. Conventional treatment focuses on removal,
   while alternative approaches emphasize gradual remission. Whatever you
   do, do not try to cut off a plantar wart yourself; let nature or a
   doctor do the work.
   
   CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE
   
   Your doctor may first try applying salicylic-acid plasters to
   eliminate the warts. Such treatment may take several weeks to be
   effective. Burning, freezing with liquid nitrogen dioxide, and
   surgical removal are more aggressive options for more severe
   conditions.
   
   ALTERNATIVE CHOICES
   
   In general, alternative treatments emphasize proper nutrition, since a
   healthy diet will not only enhance your immunity to the virus but help
   your body combat it. Various substances can be applied directly to the
   wart as aids to removal.
   
   AROMATHERAPY
   
   Two drops of essential lemon oil in 10 drops of cider vinegar may help
   remove plantar warts: Apply daily and cover during the day with an
   adhesive bandage, but leave the wart exposed at night. Or you can put
   a drop of tea tree oil (Melaleuca spp.) on the center of the wart
   daily and bandage it. Continue treatment until the wart goes away,
   which may take several weeks.
   
   You can try strengthening your immune system by massaging your legs
   with the essential oils of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), geranium
   (Pelargonium odoratissimum), or juniper (Juniperus communis)—or a
   blend of any two—using long strokes from ankles to thighs.
   
   HERBAL THERAPIES
   
   Various herbal remedies are recommended for removing warts. Whichever
   herbal remedy you try, first protect the surrounding skin with
   petroleum jelly and cover the treated wart with a clean bandage.
   Repeat daily until the warts are gone.
     * Apply the juice from dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) stems
       morning and evening.
     * Put a clove of raw garlic (Allium sativum) or a drop or two of
       garlic oil on the wart twice daily.
     * Apply a few drops of yellow cedar (Thuja occidentalis), available
       in either oil or tincture form, to the wart twice daily.
       
   NUTRITION AND DIET
   
   Poor diet can be a factor in persistent or recurring warts. Foods high
   in vitamin A:  eggs, cold-water fish, onions, garlic,[!!!] and dark
   green and yellow vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, Brussels
   sprouts, squash, and carrots—will help sustain your immune
   system, as will yogurt and other fermented milk products. You can also
   consult a nutritional therapist about the potential benefits of
   supplemental vitamins A, B complex, C, and E; L-cysteine; and zinc.
   
   AT-HOME REMEDIES
     * Try an over-the-counter topical medication that contains salicylic
       acid, which is best absorbed by the skin after a bath, a shower,
       or a soak in warm water. Protect the healthy skin around your
       warts with petroleum jelly.
     * Mix castor oil and baking powder into a paste and apply to the
       wart nightly. Cover with a bandage until the wart disappears.
     * Cut or scrape off some of the white material from the inside of a
       banana peel—preferably from a green banana, since it is said
       to have more of the enzymes that help fight the wart-causing
       virus. Apply a piece of the material to the wart before going to
       bed, and cover with first-aid tape. Repeat nightly until the
       condition improves.
     * Apply vitamin E twice daily or vitamin A nightly; open a capsule
       of the vitamin, apply the oil to the wart, and cover with a
       bandage. Continue applications until the wart goes away.
     * To ease the pain until the wart is gone, wear a foam pad in your
       shoe. Cut a hole in the pad at the location of the wart to take
       pressure off the wart while you are standing or walking.
       
   PREVENTION
   
   Protect yourself against exposure to the virus that causes plantar
   warts by wearing shower shoes, thongs, or rubber swimming shoes
   whenever you visit a public pool or use a communal shower. Be sure to
   wash your feet thoroughly with a disinfectant soap after being in an
   area where the virus can spread.
   
   CALL YOUR DOCTOR IF:
     * the area becomes red, hot, painful, and tender after treatment; an
       infection may have set in.
     * you are unsure whether you have a plantar wart or another
       condition, such as a corn, callus, mole, or skin lesion. Most such
       growths are harmless, but some can become cancerous.
                                             
    Copyright 1997, content, IVI Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.
                                      
(from www.onhealth.com/harts/ailments/htm/warts.htm)


I will try one or more of these treatments and report back.  I am not sure
if I actually have warts, they are not painful.  White cedar is probably
related to yellow cedar.  We have a couple of small persimmon trees but
they are not big enough to sacrifice any bark.

78 websites for +garlic +antiviral +warts
71 for +garlic +antiviral +"active ingredient"

Garlic was proven to be antibacterial in 1858.  The active ingredient
allicin was identified in 1944.  It is unstable and cannot be sold as a
single drug.   AJuene is antithrombotic (probably kills any bugs that try
to eat it by making them bleed to death).  It may kill H. pylorum, which
causes ulcers and stomach and colon cancer.  It is effective against such
parasites as giardia.  Lowers blood pressure up to 10% and also
cholesterol levels.  Stimulates the immune system.   Other websites
discussed garlic in connection with hepatitis C and experimental AIDS
treatments.  I did not read the others.

Another website on warts stressed boosting the immune system by going to
bed early, walking a few miles a day, keeping warm and rested, and eating
nutritiously, including multivitamins if needed.  Hepatitis C can also be
treated with dandelion (see above for warts - is hepatitis C viral?),
milk thistle, artichoke, licorice root, spirulina, garlic and vitamins.

I know that plants contain all sorts of physiological active compounds,
but only point out that garlic is not used in professional medicine. There
are now much better antiseptics. But I do stand corrected in regard to
garlic containing a chemical with antibacterial properties.

(I have a reference that described *smallpox* having been "treated" by
strapping garlics to the bottom of people's feet.The reference tempers
this information by also suggesting that garlic acts as a preventative *by
keeping others at a safe distance*.) 

Please name me some commercial topical antiviral preparations that can be
purchased without a prescription, for under a dollar, and which have been
demonstrated to be effective against plantar warts.  Or that taste as good.

I question whether garlic abstract has any effect upon viruses. It has only
been demonstrated to be a mild germicide, according to both my professional
and (responsible) popular sources. Of course, it is surrounded by a lot
of folklore. 

Abstract?  I don't plan to abstract it, just try rubbing it on my feet.  The
folklore includes over 70 websites.  Shall we both check them out?

April Fool!  I think I'll leave the garlicheads to their own devices.

Garlic feet.  Does anyone have any green banana skins I can borrow?

I tried garlic once and onion once on my foot when cooking with them, but have
not bothered since.  My medical botany book lists, for plants with a milky
sap used to treat plantar warts, dandelion, hens and chicks, and tropical
relatives of milkweed and euphorbia (both toxic to insects).  These plants
are  apparently trying to kill anything that wants to replicate in their
nutritious sap - virus, bacteria, etc.  The problem with leaving a piece of
garlic attached to your foot is it erodes the foot, probably because it also
keeps skin cells from multiplying.  The drug of choice for treating venereal
warts is extracted from the may apple (podophyllum, drug is podophyllin) and
has been used for over 100 years for this purpose, by medical science.
Plants have been protecting themselves from diseases far longer than we have.

Podophyllin is also used on plantars warts.  I would have thought is too
aggressive for venereal warts though.

Some interesting info above...I've found that plantar warts which do not
resolve on their own are best treated with repeated debriedment (cutting) and
strong chemical cauterants.  This works for the greatest number of people,
and when done properly, resolves the pain from the warts in 1 or 2 treatments.
The rest of the treatment is _usually_ painless.  This treatment also prevents
scarring, which, if on the bottom of your foot, can be painful to walk on.
A scar with a wart in it (just in case you've missed a few of those
microscopic viral particles) is almost invariably more painful and intractible
to further treatment.

For a newer, high tech approach, the yellow pulsed dye laser can zap a wart
without any damage to the overlying or surrounding skin.  It might take a
couple (or few) treatments separated by a few weeks, but there is little to
no pain and no scars either.  Catch is the machine can cost over $30k and the
laser generator has a life of x number of pulses before it need to be
replaced.  So, while this is a great treatment, it is expensive as hell.

I am interested more in the theory of this than the cure, as I have no pain
and may not even have plantar warts.  Just a few little hard bumps and an area
that looks like a callus but not where you would expect a callus, with more
bumps.  I tried taping plastic wrap over the area and after a few weeks the
bumps seemed a bit smaller, but perhaps they are just callus, or scar.  If
I find the time and the may apples, I may try them on one foot and leave the
other as a control.  We ate ripe may apples once, they are supposed to be
quite poisonous until fully ripe.  
        Your suggested treatments above are probably of interest to people with
painful warts, thanks for the ideas.
        I have had warts on my palms which went away within a few months. 
Maybe what is on my feet is scars.  What do the scars look like if they are
from  spontaneously disappearing warts?

Plantar warts are among the very few (if not only) lesions which interrupt
the dematoglyphics (skin lines).  Other possible diagnoses are porokeratoma
(clogged sweat gland), "seed corns", or nucleated keratoma (callous with a
hard,  sharp, core).  Scars can look like almost anything, except normal
tissue.  They usually don't occur spontaneously.

This may be nucleated keratome, then.  What causes that?  I walk a lot.  Why
would there be more of these things on the right food?  I also bike a lot and
put a bit more weight in that area.

You just answered your own question.    ;-)

I will hold off on the garlic and mayapple, then.  (Or eat them instead).

my mother had an extremely bad plantar wart when we lived in sri lanka - 
she tried lots of things, eventually getting fed up with the doctor 
after sticking at acid and razorblades for a while...:(  resigned 
herself to walking with a very heavy limp for the rest of her life... 
(various international dermatologists had by this stage all given in).

then, visiting a buddhist temple in malaysia to say a pirith for a 
friend about to undergo heart surgery, we were asked to visit the chief 
monk, who wanted to know why westerners were saying a pirith.  he 
noticed my mother's limp, asked what the problem was, and then offered 
to cure it.  he laid on hands (which would have required complicated and 
time-consuming 'cleansing' procedures for him afterwards).

the two-year old wart was gone within a week.

more things in heaven and earth, horatio...

(mind you, i would imagine malaysia is further than you'd really want to 
go, keesan, especially since you've not needed to try the razorblade 
option yet!)

Thanks for the suggestion for a nice vacation spot, but the rough spots on
my feet really do not seem to be warts.  They don't hurt, just sometimes catch
on socks.  Probably calluses from biking a few miles a day, as suggested. 
Does any one have any proven good herbal treatments for flu?  Jim cooked me
bean soup with a heap of garlic and I got better (anyway).

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