Oral Zinc for Verrucae

NewsBot · Jan 10, 2017

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Oral zinc sulphate in the treatment of recalcitrant viral warts: randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial
F.T. Al-Gurairi, M. Al-Waiz, K.E. Sharquie
British Journal of Dermatology March 2002

Background Viral warts are common dermatological diseases; although the rate of spontaneous recovery is high, it usually takes a long time, and some patients might not show this spontaneous healing. Zinc has an important effect on the immune system and it has been used as an immunomodulator to treat a variety of skin disorders.

Objective To assess whether oral zinc was effective in treating viral warts of patients evaluated between May 1999 and April 2000.

Patients and methods This was a placebo-controlled clinical trial. Eighty patients with viral warts (common, plantar and plane) were all resistant to all forms of treatment. Each patient had > 15 warts. Forty patients were treated by oral zinc sulphate at a dose of 10 mg kg−1 daily up to 600 mg day−1 and followed-up for resolution of their warts and for any evidence of recurrence for 2–6 months. Another 40 patients were given a placebo oral treatment in the form of glucose, and followed-up for the same period.

Results Only 23 patients of the first group (zinc treated) and 20 patients of the second group (placebo treated) completed the study. In all patients the serum level of zinc was low. In the zinc-treated group, the overall response was complete clearance of warts observed in 20 patients (86·9%) after 2 months of treatment. Fourteen patients (60·9%) showed complete disappearance of their warts after 1 month. Three patients (13·3%) failed to respond to the treatment after 2 months of therapy. The response to treatment was directly related to the increment in serum zinc level. No patient of the placebo-treated group showed any response.

Conclusions We conclude that zinc sulphate at a dose of 10 mg kg−1 daily seems to be a highly efficacious therapeutic option for recalcitrant viral warts and proved to be safe with few adverse effects
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NewsBot · Jan 10, 2017

Zinc Deficiency in Patients with Persistent Viral Warts
Naeem Raza and Dilshad Ahmed Khan
Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan 2010, Vol. 20 (2): 83-86

Objective: To determine the association of low serum zinc levels with persistent, progressive or recurrent viral warts.
Study Design: A comparative study.
Place and Duration of Study: Dermatology outpatient department of Combined Military Hospital, Abbottabad in
collaboration with Department of Chemical Pathology, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi, from June 2006 to May 2007.
Methodology: Seventy five patients having warts of more than six months duration, more than 10 in number, who either
not responded to or had recurrence after previous treatments for viral warts and not having other chronic dermatological
or systemic illness were included in the study after informed consent. Seventy five age and gender matched healthy
individuals were taken as control. Serum zinc analysis was carried out by atomic absorption spectrometry using Perkin
elmen (USA) apparatus. Independent sample t-test was used to compare mean zinc levels in microgram/litre with
significance at p < 0.05.
Results: Age of the patients as well as controls ranged from 12-65 years with a mean of 25.88 + 8.90 years. Serum zinc
level was low in 42 (56%) patients and 24 (32%) controls (p=0.003). Among the patients, serum zinc level ranged from
695-1090 micro-gram/litre with a mean of 804.38 + 100.60, whereas the level ranged from 690-1100 microgram/litre with
a mean of 836.17 + 91.04 among controls (p 0.044).
Conclusion: Zinc deficiency is associated with persistent, progressive or recurrent viral warts in the studied patients.
Randomized controlled trials with careful dose adjustment of oral zinc sulphate may be helpful to formulate guide lines to
manage such patients.
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NewsBot · Jan 10, 2017

ZINC DEFICIENCY AND ORAL ZINC SULPHATE TREATMENT IN PATIENTS WITH PERSISTENT VIRAL WARTS
Fatma H. Shabaka, Laila A. Rashed, Abeer M. Kamel, Inass M. Mohammed and Nohir M. Assem
wjpmr, 2016,2(6), 221-225.

Background: Warts are common viral infections of the skin and mucous membranes, caused by Human
papilomaviruses (HPVs). Zinc has immunomodulatory effects that could counteract viral infections by having an
effect on the synthesis of cytokines. Objective: The aim of this work was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of oral
zinc sulphate in treatment of persistent viral warts. Subjects and Methods: This case control study included 30
patients with multiple persistent warts and 30 age and sex matched healthy persons as controls. Patients were
divided according to the type of warts into three groups: 10 patients had common warts, 10 patients had plane
warts and 10 had planter warts. The serum zinc level was measured before treatment, patients received oral zinc
sulfate for 2 months and serum zinc level was measured after treatment. During the treatment period the patients
were examined every 2 weeks for evidence of partial or complete regression of their lesions. They were
photographed before treatment, one month after and 2 month immediately after treatment. Results: There was
statistically significant decrease in serum zinc level before treatment in patients than control (P < 0.001). The
serum zinc level in common warts has significant decrease than plane and planter(P< 0.005) with no difference
after treatment. All these types have statistically significant increase in serum zinc level after treatment, serum zinc
level before treatment ranged from 21.7 to 68.2 g/dl with mean 41.3 + 12.8 and serum zinc level after treatment
with oral zinc sulfate ranged from 78.9 to 172.8 g/dl with mean 121.4 + 26.9g/dl. All our patients were
responders to the zinc sulphate treatment. Conclusion: oral zinc sulphate seems to be a simple, effective and safe
treatment of warts.
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Craig Payne · Jul 29, 2021

...and so a pseudoscience is born ... all the above studies were done in areas where dietary zinc deficiencies are common, so supplementation will obviously help.
BUT, to start recommending zinc as a treatment or verruca in the absence of a deficiency is quackery and pseudoscience and will just produce expensive urine.
The body will have nowhere for the zinc to be used, so just gets excreted.

William Fowler · Jan 10, 2017

Craig Payne said: ↑

...and so a pseudoscience is born ... all the above studies were done in areas where dietary zinc deficiencies are common, so supplementation will obviously help.
BUT, to start recommending zinc as a treatment or verruca in the absence of a deficiency is quackery and pseudoscience.
Click to expand...

Yes. I have seen that often advised often.

NewsBot · Nov 6, 2019

EFFICACY OF ORAL ZINC SULPHATE VERSUS TOPICAL
APPLICATION OF SALICYLIC ACID (16.7%) & LACTIC
ACID (16.7%) COMBINATION IN THE TREATMENT OF
PLANTAR WARTS
DR. AZKA IQBAL et al
Journal of Medicine, Physiology and Biophysicshttps://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/7afc/db803f7f64cb7fcf4e1e170ebc64ccf39a07.pdf

Background; Warts are common epidermal growths caused by human papillomavirus that often cause significant
discomfort and embarrassment. Current treatment options include topical therapies, cryotherapy, laser
vaporization, and surgical excision. Objective: To compare the efficacy of oral zinc sulphate versus topical
application of salicylic acid (16.7%) & lactic acid (16.7%) combination in the treatment of plantar warts. Material
and Methods; One hundred and fifty six patients with warts fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria coming
in Medicine outpatient department were included in the study. Group A, having 78 patients, was given oral zinc
sulphate (10 mg/kg/day) in two or three divided doses. In group B, 78 patients were advised to apply a combination
of salicylic (16.7%) & lactic acid (16.7%) once at night daily. Results; Of these 156 study cases, 94 (60.3 %) were
male patients while 62 (39.7 %) were female patients. Mean age of our study cases was 34.42 ± 9.87 years. Monthly
family income up to Rs. 30000 was noted in 68 (43.6%) while 88 (56.4%) had monthly family income more than
Rs. 30000. Mean weight of our study cases was 61.96 ± 10.29 kilograms. Mean height of our study cases 161.24
± 12.23 centimeters. Mean BMI of our study cases was 26.52± 1.87 kg/m2
and obesity was present in 31 (19.9%)
of our study cases. Mean no. of lesions was noted to be 5.30 ± 2.45 lesions (with minimum no. of lesions was 4
and maximum no. of lesions was 10) and 131 (84%) had up to 5 lesions. Mean duration of disease was 4.69 ± 1.61
months and 112 (71.8 %) had disease duration up to 6 months. Efficacy was noted in 110 (70.5 %). Efficacy in
group A was noted to be 83.3 % and in group B was 57.7 % (p= 0.001).
Conclusion; Our study results support the use of oral Zinc Sulphate in the treatment of plantar warts as compared
to the salicylic acid (16.7%) and lactic acid (16.7%) combination. Efficacy of Zinc Sulphate was significantly
higher when compared with combination therapy and it was found to be safe and reliable mode of treatment having
no side effects were observed in our study. Use of Zinc Sulphate can help to reduce chance of recurrence and
disease morbidity. Being cost effective, it provides cheaper mode of treatment as compared with cryotherapy which
is quite expensive which will provide economic relief to our large poor population. Early treatment can help
patients to maintain routine daily lives and physical activities such as sports without any pain and side effects.
Click to expand...

NewsBot · Nov 14, 2019

EFFICACY OF ORAL ZINC SULPHATE VERSUS TOPICAL
APPLICATION OF SALICYLIC ACID (16.7%) & LACTIC
ACID (16.7%) COMBINATION IN THE TREATMENT OF
PLANTAR WARTS
DR. AZKA IQBAL et al
Journal of Medicine, Physiology and Biophysics

Background; Warts are common epidermal growths caused by human papillomavirus that often cause significant
discomfort and embarrassment. Current treatment options include topical therapies, cryotherapy, laser
vaporization, and surgical excision. Objective: To compare the efficacy of oral zinc sulphate versus topical
application of salicylic acid (16.7%) & lactic acid (16.7%) combination in the treatment of plantar warts. Material
and Methods; One hundred and fifty six patients with warts fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria coming
in Medicine outpatient department were included in the study. Group A, having 78 patients, was given oral zinc
sulphate (10 mg/kg/day) in two or three divided doses. In group B, 78 patients were advised to apply a combination
of salicylic (16.7%) & lactic acid (16.7%) once at night daily. Results; Of these 156 study cases, 94 (60.3 %) were
male patients while 62 (39.7 %) were female patients. Mean age of our study cases was 34.42 ± 9.87 years. Monthly
family income up to Rs. 30000 was noted in 68 (43.6%) while 88 (56.4%) had monthly family income more than
Rs. 30000. Mean weight of our study cases was 61.96 ± 10.29 kilograms. Mean height of our study cases 161.24
± 12.23 centimeters. Mean BMI of our study cases was 26.52± 1.87 kg/m2
and obesity was present in 31 (19.9%)
of our study cases. Mean no. of lesions was noted to be 5.30 ± 2.45 lesions (with minimum no. of lesions was 4
and maximum no. of lesions was 10) and 131 (84%) had up to 5 lesions. Mean duration of disease was 4.69 ± 1.61
months and 112 (71.8 %) had disease duration up to 6 months. Efficacy was noted in 110 (70.5 %). Efficacy in
group A was noted to be 83.3 % and in group B was 57.7 % (p= 0.001).
Conclusion; Our study results support the use of oral Zinc Sulphate in the treatment of plantar warts as compared
to the salicylic acid (16.7%) and lactic acid (16.7%) combination. Efficacy of Zinc Sulphate was significantly
higher when compared with combination therapy and it was found to be safe and reliable mode of treatment having
no side effects were observed in our study. Use of Zinc Sulphate can help to reduce chance of recurrence and
disease morbidity. Being cost effective, it provides cheaper mode of treatment as compared with cryotherapy which
is quite expensive which will provide economic relief to our large poor population. Early treatment can help
patients to maintain routine daily lives and physical activities such as sports without any pain and side effects.
Click to expand...

NewsBot · Jul 29, 2021

Clinical use of zinc in viral warts: a systematic review of the clinical trials
Deyu Song,Linxin Pan,Ming Zhang &Sheng Wang
Journal of Dermatological Treatment: 28 Jun 2021

Background
Zinc has shown promise in the treatment of patients with viral warts in several clinical trials, but there is no consensus on its effectiveness.

Objective
To investigate the efficacy of various formulations of zinc on cutaneous warts.

Data sources
We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, PUBMED, and Web of Science without publishing-time restriction. Trials examining zinc in the treatment of warts were collected.

Results
Out of 265 articles, a total of 16 met inclusion criteria. Six clinical trials investigated the clinical effectiveness of oral zinc supplementation alone in treating viral warts, two trials evaluated the efficacy of oral zinc in combination with other therapy, five trials investigated the efficacy of intralesional zinc sulfate, and three trials investigated topical zinc treatment efficacy. Zinc therapy was found to be beneficial in 13 of 16 studies evaluating its effects on warts.

Conclusions
The use of zinc is a simple, safe, and cost-effective treatment in viral warts based on some preliminary evidence. However, more well-designed studies need to be performed to further evaluate the effect of zinc on warts.
Click to expand...

Craig Payne · Jul 29, 2021

NewsBot said: ↑

Clinical use of zinc in viral warts: a systematic review of the clinical trials
Deyu Song,Linxin Pan,Ming Zhang &Sheng Wang
Journal of Dermatological Treatment: 28 Jun 2021
Click to expand...

Garbage in = garbage out. Next.

NewsBot · Jul 29, 2021

Oral Zinc – a useful adjunct in the treatment of plantar warts?

Craig Payne · Aug 2, 2021

Zinc deficient --> probable increased risk for VP, so supplement with oral zinc
Normal zinc levels --> not at increased risk for VP. If use oral supplements, excess zinc can suppress immune response.

ie low and high levels of zinc are a problem --> do not supplement unless deficient.

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