Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (1987) 20, 893-901
© 1987 The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
research-article |
Prophylaxis and treatment of rhinovirus colds with zinc gluconate lozenges
aMRC Common Cold Unit, Harvard Hospital Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK bSalisbury General Infirmary Wiltshire, U.K.
accepted 21 July 1987
Correspondence to: W. Al-Nakib, MRC Common Cold Unit, Harvard Hospital, Coombe Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP2 8BW, U.K.
Following a tolerance study, double-blind placebo controlled trials were conducted to determine the prophylactic effect of zinc gluconate lozenges on rhinovirus challenge and, in a third study, their therapeutic efficacy when given at the start of colds caused by virus inoculation was tested.
In the prophylaxis study a total of 57 volunteers received lozenges of either zinc gluconate (23 mg) (29 volunteers) or matched placebo (28 volunteers) every 2 h while awake during a period of four and a half days. They were challenged with 102 tissue culture infecting dose (TCID50) of human rhinovirus 2 (HRV-2) on the second day of medication, and were monitored daily for symptoms and signs of colds and laboratory evidence of infection. Zinc reduced the total mean clinical score from 8.2 in the placebo group to 5.7 and the reduction of the mean clinical score was statistically significant on the second day after virus challenge.
In the therapeutic study 69 volunteers were inoculated with 102 TCID50 of HRV-2 and those who developed cold symptoms were randomly allocated to receive either zinc gluconate lozenges (six volunteers) or matched placebo lozenges (six volunteers) every two hours they were awake for six days. Treatment of colds with zinc reduced the mean daily clinical score and this was statistically significant on the fourth and fifth day of medication. Similarly, medication also reduced the mean daily nasal secretion weight and total tissue count and these reductions were statistically significant on days two and six for nasal secretion weights and days four to six of medication for tissue counts when compared with placebo. There were also statistically significant reductions in the mean total nasal secretion weights and total tissue counts. Zinc, however, had no significant effect on the rate or amount of virus excreted by volunteers.
We conclude that zinc gluconate lozenges are reasonably well tolerated and that they have a significant effect on the signs and symptoms of colds caused by rhinoviruses, although the mechanism of action remains obscure.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  D. C. Bolser Cough Suppressant and Pharmacologic Protussive Therapy: ACCP Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines Chest, January 1, 2006; 129(1_suppl): 238S - 249S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. S. Prasad, J. T. Fitzgerald, B. Bao, F. W.J. Beck, and P. H. Chandrasekar Duration of Symptoms and Plasma Cytokine Levels in Patients with the Common Cold Treated with Zinc Acetate: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial Ann Intern Med, August 15, 2000; 133(4): 245 - 252. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L. Rink and H. Kirchner Zinc-Altered Immune Function and Cytokine Production J. Nutr., May 1, 2000; 130(5): 1407S - 1411. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. K. Baum, G. Shor-Posner, and A. Campa Zinc Status in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection J. Nutr., May 1, 2000; 130(5): 1421S - 1423. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. L. Jackson, E. Lesho, and C. Peterson Zinc and the Common Cold: A Meta-Analysis Revisited J. Nutr., May 1, 2000; 130(5): 1512S - 1515. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. Sazawal, R. E. Black, S. Jalla, S. Mazumdar, A. Sinha, and M. K. Bhan Zinc Supplementation Reduces the Incidence of Acute Lower Respiratory Infections in Infants and Preschool Children: A Double-blind, Controlled Trial Pediatrics, July 1, 1998; 102(1): 1 - 5. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. L. Macknin, M. Piedmonte, C. Calendine, J. Janosky, and E. Wald Zinc Gluconate Lozenges for Treating the Common Cold in Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial JAMA, June 24, 1998; 279(24): 1962 - 1967. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S K Roy, A M Tomkins, S M Akramuzzaman, R H Behrens, R Haider, D Mahalanabis, and G Fuchs Randomised controlled trial of zinc supplementation in malnourished Bangladeshi children with acute diarrhoea Arch. Dis. Child., September 1, 1997; 77(3): 196 - 200. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A.P. Smith, D.A.J. Tyrrell, W. Al-Nakib, I. Barrow, P. Higgins, and R. Wenham Effects of zinc gluconate and nedocromil sodium on performance deficits produced by the common cold J Psychopharmacol, January 1, 1991; 5(3): 251 - 254. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|