Acceleration of Healing with Zinc Sulfate

Abstract

Zn-deficient animals heal poorly, Zn-65 localizes preferentially in healing tissues and the addition of extra readily available Zn salts accelerates healing in rats. Zn also appears to play an important role in human healing. Patients with severe burns develop significant Zn deficits and it is likely that patients with other healing problems also have Zn stores inadequate to meet the demand of healing tissues. Oral medication with 220 mg of Zn SO4 USP 3 times a day, resulted in the acceleration of healing by 43% in a controlled study of young men with granulating wounds. Zn therapy deserves a trial as an adjunct in the treatment of patients with healing problems.