Black Walnut Remedy For Ringworm

Q. I’ve read a couple of questions about ringworm in your column and want to give you the benefit of my experience.
I grew up in the country. As a teenager, I got ringworm on the back of my leg. Several things failed to cure it, and the affected area kept getting bigger.
Then a neighbor told me to peel the green outer hull off a black walnut and rub the inside of the hull on the spot. She said it would stain my leg brown but kill the ringworm. I got a hull and rubbed it on. Within a day or two the problem began to resolve and a few days later it was completely gone. I know not everyone has a walnut tree, but this home remedy is worth a try.
A. Black walnut has a long tradition of being used for skin problems from ringworm to psoriasis. The hulls are rich in tannins and also contain a compound called juglone that has antimicrobial and antifungal activity. Ringworm is a fungal infection. That may explain why applying black walnut hulls worked in your case. Black walnut may provoke allergic reactions in susceptible people.