The mouth–nose biologically closed electric circuit in zinc lozenge therapy of common colds as explanation of rapid therapeutic action

Eby, George A.

doi:10.1586/ers.12.17

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 7 publications

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“…In laboratory studies zinc inhibited the replication of respiratory viruses and enhanced the effect of interferons [ 10 , 43 , 44 ]. Non-immune mechanisms have also been proposed to explain the effect of zinc lozenges on the common cold [ 10 , 45 , 46 ]. However, the lack of well-formulated mechanistic explanations should not hamper the implications of these three randomized trials with clinically relevant outcomes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effectiveness of high dose zinc acetate lozenges on various common cold symptoms: a meta-analysis

Hemilä

Chalker

2015

BMC Fam Pract

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BackgroundA previous meta-analysis found that high dose zinc acetate lozenges reduced the duration of common colds by 42%, whereas low zinc doses had no effect. Lozenges are dissolved in the pharyngeal region, thus there might be some difference in the effect of zinc lozenges on the duration of respiratory symptoms in the pharyngeal region compared with the nasal region. The objective of this study was to determine whether zinc acetate lozenges have different effects on the duration of common cold symptoms originating from different anatomical regions.MethodsWe analyzed three randomized trials on zinc acetate lozenges for the common cold administering zinc in doses of 80–92 mg/day. All three trials reported the effect of zinc on seven respiratory symptoms, and three systemic symptoms. We pooled the effects of zinc lozenges for each symptom and calculated point estimates and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).ResultsZinc acetate lozenges shortened the duration of nasal discharge by 34% (95% CI: 17% to 51%), nasal congestion by 37% (15% to 58%), sneezing by 22% (−1% to 45%), scratchy throat by 33% (8% to 59%), sore throat by 18% (−10% to 46%), hoarseness by 43% (3% to 83%), and cough by 46% (28% to 64%). Zinc lozenges shortened the duration of muscle ache by 54% (18% to 89%), but there was no difference in the duration of headache and fever.ConclusionsThe effect of zinc acetate lozenges on cold symptoms may be associated with the local availability of zinc from the lozenges, with the levels being highest in the pharyngeal region. However our findings indicate that the effects of zinc ions are not limited to the pharyngeal region. There is no indication that the effect of zinc lozenges on nasal symptoms is less than the effect on the symptoms of the pharyngeal region, which is more exposed to released zinc ions.Given that the adverse effects of zinc in the three trials were minor, zinc acetate lozenges releasing zinc ions at doses of about 80 mg/day may be a useful treatment for the common cold, started within 24 hours, for a time period of less than two weeks.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12875-015-0237-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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