Does your roommate's cat Fluffy make you sneeze? Do your eyes water and your nose itch as soon as spring rears its flowery head? Most of the 20 million Americans who suffer from allergic rhinitis depend on traditional medications like antihistamines and cough suppressants to nip it in the bud. But now you can beat pollen-laden plants at their own game with allergy-fighting herbs.

In Switzerland, homeopathic eyedrops are the most frequently used remedy for itchy, allergy-stricken eyes. The drops contain the extracts of ingredients such as aphis, or ground honey bees, and plants such as euphrasia and sabadilla. This mix of natural extracts follows a basic tenet of homeopathy, say practitioners: Apply small doses of ingredients, which in larger amounts would be irritants, in order to heal. Research suggests that the technique works. A study of 50 allergy sufferers conducted at Harvard's Schepen Eye Institute found that two weeks of treatment with one to two drops of this homeopathic solution reduced redness and itching in subjects' eyes without side effects.

And there are other natural solutions to allergies. Quercetin is a plant that works as an anti-inflammatory agent, keeping lungs, nasal passages and eyes from swelling up. It also serves as an antihistamine, preventing watery eyes and runny noses, all without the drowsiness or insomnia which drugstore remedies often cause. Another plant, the stinging nettle, wields a healing serum that soothes symptoms of sinusitis and allergic rhinitis. And remember that medicine isn't the only allergy remedy: Your diet, pets, office environment and home furnishings may be triggering your distress. So simplify your nutrition, keep your surroundings as clean as possible and consult your doctor for further advice.