<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

I have not used this myself, but I just read about it yesterday and thought
there were plenty on the list who would be interested. Run out and grab the
January 99 issue of Prevention magazine and look for the "7 Super Herbal
Tonics" article. He recommends Oregon grape, in a tea or tincture, to help
chronic skin conditions and also digestive problems.

The article doesn't specifically mention DH, but I know that a lot of
listers have non-DH rashes, and who knows, it might even help DH too,
especially as he mentions that most chronic skin conditions are caused by
underlying immune deficiency.

One caution: this is not a quick cure. He recommends taking it for several
months before evaluating whether it is making a difference, and mentions a
woman with severe eczema on hands and arms, who showed little improvement
at 3 months, but almost complete improvement at 9 months. If it is actually
helping correct an underlying severe immune deficiency, that would explain
the length of time, I guess.

The author has a web site that also talks about this herb at
http://www.theherbalists.com. Here's a bit from the web page about it's
uses:

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TRADITIONAL USES FOR OREGON GRAPE

Constitutional:  weight loss, fatigue, poor energy

Digestive:  poor digestion, poor appetite, acid indigestion, flatulence,
fatty food intolerance, liver malfunction, poor bile delivery, lack of
bile, gall bladder insufficiency, constipation

Musculo-skeletal:  auto-immune related disease of joints and muscles,
rheumatoid arthritis, Rheiters syndrome, articular disease from ulcerative
colitis and Chron's disease

Skin: pimples, roughness, eczema, pruritis, psoriasis, pityriasis, chronic
dermatosis, glandular induations, ulcerations, scaly skin conditions,
liver-related skin maladies, facial blotches, acne
----------

Again, I have not used this myself, just read about it. Hope it helps
somebody!

Carma in Phoenix