antipruritically, but not used medically Burow's solution, an astringent aqueous solution of aluminium triacetate, is shown to soothe and to relieve itching. Olive oil Jewelweed has been shown to be devoid of any anti-itch activity in several controlled studies. Calamine lotion, containing zinc oxide and iron(III) oxide, is a traditional remedy for mild itching, such as that typically associated with chicken pox – although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has asserted that it has little if any scientific evidence. Nevertheless, they subsequently recommended applying topical OTC skin protectants, such as calamine, to relieve the itch caused by poisonous plants such as poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac. Paste of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and water, applied topically Ammonium hydroxide (household ammonia), applied topically Papain-based topical creams. Alternative treatments A number of herbs have been used to treat itching such as cannabis, pigweed (portulaca oleracaea), Ashoka (sarco asoca), and fig (fificus carica). Other unconventional forms of treatment with potential efficacy for treating systemic itch include topical cannabinoids and H4 antihistamines. Effectiveness Despite the availability of many forms of treatment, there is only a limited number of case series or small-scale studies examining the efficacy of abirritants. There is a lack of evidence on treatment for chronic pruritus of unknown origin. There is also little to no evidence on the efficacy and safety of using abirritants during pregnancy. Treating itch associated with disease Some abirritants work by indirectly treating itch through treating the causative medical conditions, which means that the itching associated with the condition will often subside when it is properly treated. This includes antihistamines and corticosteroids, which are effective in treating inflammatory disorders of the skin, in particular atopic dermatitis. Successful treatment of atopic dermatitis with either corticosteroids or antihistamines would resolve the associated itching. Treating itch directly Some abirritants treat pruritus directly without necessarily treating the causative medical condition. Abirritants that directly treat itching and are established to be effective are reported here in the table below: Traditional Chinese Medicine Traditional Chinese medicine is extensively used in Asia for relief of itch. It is believed that itching is caused by irritations from wind, dampness or blood stasis, and can be relieved by the use of herbs such as chrysanthemum, gardenia fruit or mung bean. Sometimes these herbal remedies are used in combination with acupuncture and moxibustion, but their efficacy is still unclear. Sericin cream and oral omega-3