Category

Synonyms

Atomic number 30, Indian tin, pewter, polaprezinc, zinc acetate, zinc acexamate, zinc aspartate, zinc carbonate, zinc citrate, zinc chloride, zinc gluconate, zinc methionate, zinc methionine, zinc monomethioine, zinc oxide, zinc picolinate, zinc sulfate, Zink, ZN, Zn.

Brands used in clinical trials: A-84, Articulin-F®, Astra, Curiosin® (zinc and hyaluronic acid), Herpigon, Nels Cream®, Orazinc®, Solvezink®, Virudermin Gel®, Zeta N, Zicam® Nasal Gel, Zincolak, Zincomed, Zineryt®, Zinvit-C250.

Background

Zinc has been used since ancient Egyptian times to enhance wound healing, although the usefulness of this approach is only partially confirmed by the clinical data of today.

Zinc is necessary for the functioning of more than 300 different enzymes and plays a vital role in an enormous number of biological processes. Zinc is a cofactor for the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) and is in a number of enzymatic reactions involved in carbohydrate and protein metabolism.

Its immune-enhancing activities include regulation of T lymphocytes, CD4, natural killer cells, and interleukin II. In addition, zinc has been claimed to possess antiviral activity. It has been shown to play a role in wound healing, especially following burns or surgical incisions. Zinc is necessary for the maturation of sperm and normal fetal development. It is involved in sensory perception (taste, smell, and vision) and controls the release of stored vitamin A from the liver. Within the endocrine system, zinc has been shown to regulate insulin activity and promote the conversion thyroid hormones thyroxine to triiodothyronine.

Based on available scientific evidence, zinc may be effective in the treatment of (childhood) malnutrition, acne vulgaris, peptic ulcers, leg ulcers, infertility, Wilson's disease, herpes, and taste or smell disorders. Zinc has also gained popularity for its use in the prevention of the common cold.

The role for zinc is controversial in some cases, as the results of published studies provide either contradictory information and/or the methodological quality of the studies does not allow for a confident conclusion regarding the role of zinc in those diseases.