[Using Mohs' Paste for Disease Control in a Case of Advanced Mucinous Breast Cancer with Continuous Bleeding from the Primary Tumor Surface].

We present the case of a 70-year-old woman with cancer affecting a substantial area of her breast, characterized by persistent bleeding from the primary tumor. Pathological findings revealed a hormone-sensitive mucinous carcinoma. CT indicated a primary tumor in close proximity to the greater pectoral muscle, left axillary lymph node metastasis, and oligometastases in her right lung. Although she declined surgery and chemotherapy, she agreed to receive Mohs' paste and endocrine therapy. The paste was applied locally, and local control was achieved after 2 weeks. Five years later, CR was still maintained in her left breast. Mohs' paste played a crucial role in achieving local control of the exudation and bleeding from the exposed, unresected cancer. It proved to be an outstanding component of hormone-sensitive local treatment, working synergistically with systemic drug therapy and hormonal therapy.

Efficacy and Safety of Polaprezinc-Based Therapy versus the Standard Triple Therapy for Helicobacter pylori Eradication: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the most prevalent etiology of gastritis worldwide. H. pylori management depends mainly on antibiotics, especially the triple therapy formed of clarithromycin, amoxicillin, and proton pump inhibitors. Lately, many antibiotic-resistant strains have emerged, leading to a decrease in the eradication rates of H. pylori. Polaprezinc (PZN), a mucosal protective zinc-L-carnosine complex, may be a non-antibiotic agent to treat H. pylori without the risk of resistance. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a PZN-based regimen for the eradication of H. pylori. This study used a systematic review and meta-analysis synthesizing randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from WOS, SCOPUS, EMBASE, PubMed, and Google Scholar until 25 July 2022. We used the odds ratio (OR) for dichotomous outcomes presented with the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI). We registered our protocol in PROSPERO with ID: CRD42022349231. We included 3 trials with a total of 396 participants who were randomized to either PZN plus triple therapy (n = 199) or triple therapy alone (control) (n = 197). Pooled OR found a statistical difference favoring the PZN arm in the intention to treat and per protocol H. pylori eradication rates (OR: 2.01 with 95% CI [1.27, 3.21], p = 0.003) and (OR: 2.65 with 95% CI [1.55, 4.54], p = 0.0004), respectively. We found no statistical difference between the two groups regarding the total adverse events (OR: 1.06 with 95% CI [0.55, 2.06], p = 0.85). PZN, when added to the triple therapy, yielded a better effect concerning the eradication rates of H. pylori with no difference in adverse event rates, and thus can be considered a valuable adjuvant for the management of H. pylori. However, the evidence is still scarce, and larger trials are needed to confirm or refute our findings.

Efficacy and safety of polaprezinc in the treatment of gastric ulcer: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, positive-controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of polaprezinc compared with rebamipide in the treatment of gastric ulcers (GU). METHODS: GU patients (n = 224) from 10 clinical centers were prospectively enrolled and randomly divided into a control (n = 113) or test (n = 111) group. The control group was treated with rebamipide tablets, while the test group was treated with polaprezinc. The primary endpoint was the effective treatment rate, which was confirmed by gastroscopy after 8 weeks of treatment. The secondary efficacy endpoint was the improvement rate of gastrointestinal symptoms after 4 and 8 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: The basic characteristics of the two groups were well balanced. For the primary efficacy endpoint, the effective rates confirmed by gastroscopy, after treatment for the test and control groups were 81.48% and 74.31% (P = 0.1557), respectively. After 4 and 8 weeks of treatments, both treatment groups had comparable improvements rates in gastrointestinal symptoms (test vs. control: 44.44% vs. 39.45% [P = 0.4559] and 81.48% vs. 77.06% [P = 0.4223]). Further, the two groups had similar adverse events and reactions to the study drugs. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the efficacy and safety of polaprezinc were similar to those of rebamipide in the treatment of GU.

[A Case of Advanced Breast Cancer in Which Mohs' Paste and Systemic Drug Therapy Allowed Local and Disease Control].

Local control of disintegrating advanced breast cancer is often difficult because of the exudate, bleeding, and the foul odor. The current author encountered a case of large breast cancer with ulceration in which drug therapy and local control with Mohs' paste allowed disease control. The patient was a 61-year-old woman. There was a large ulcerated lump in her right breast, and exudate, bleeding, and a foul odor were present. The woman was diagnosed with hormone-sensitive mucinous carcinoma based on a biopsy, and diagnostic imaging revealed axillary lymph node metastasis and multiple metastases in both lungs. Mohs' paste was used locally, and local control was achieved after 1 month. A year and a half after the start of systemic drug therapy, the breast lump disappeared, and lung metastases and lymph node metastasis had almost disappeared. A CR has been maintained 3 years and 5 months later. Mohs' paste was extremely useful in achieving local control of exudation and bleeding from exposed unresected cancer. This was an excellent treatment in the patient's terminal stages and as part of local treatment in combination with systemic drug therapy.

Hitchhiking Nanoparticles: Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Mediated Delivery of Theranostic Nanoparticles.

Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising solution to permanent elimination of cancer. However, nanoparticles themselves lack specificity to tumors. Due to enhanced migration to tumors, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were suggested as cell-mediated delivery vehicles of nanoparticles. In this study, we have constructed a complex composed of photoluminescent quantum dots (QDs) and a photosensitizer chlorin e6 (Ce6) to obtain multifunctional nanoparticles, combining cancer diagnostic and therapeutic properties. QDs serve as energy donors-excited QDs transfer energy to the attached Ce6 via Förster resonance energy transfer, which in turn generates reactive oxygen species. Here, the physicochemical properties of the QD-Ce6 complex and singlet oxygen generation were measured, and the stability in protein-rich media was evaluated, showing that the complex remains the most stable in protein-free medium. In vitro studies on MSC and cancer cell response to the QD-Ce6 complex revealed the complex-loaded MSCs' potential to transport theranostic nanoparticles and induce cancer cell death. In vivo studies proved the therapeutic efficacy, as the survival of tumor-bearing mice was statistically significantly increased, while tumor progression and metastases were slowed down.

Polycyclodextrin as a linker for nanomedicine fabrication and synergistic anticancer application.

Polycyclodextrin (denoted PCD) composed of cyclodextrin monomer units and 1,3-diethoxypropan-2-ol containing many hydroxyl groups with lone pairs of electrons, easily coordinated with transition metals with empty orbitals. The CD unit can also provide host-guest binding sites for functional molecules. This article utilizes this feature of PCD for the first time as a "linker" to combine transition metal nanomaterials with synergistic functional molecules. We synthesized PCD with 50% CD monomer by epichlorohydrin cross-linking method. Utilizing the coordination effect of the hydroxyl group in PCD and the iron ion in photothermal nanoparticles (PB-Yb), the PCD is coated on its surface; simultaneously, CD in PCD can form a host-guest complex with adamantane-modified zinc phthalocyanine (Pc) photosensitizer. Using PCD as a "linker", PB-Yb and Pc (denoted PYPP) were combined to improve the solubility of PB-Yb, reduce the aggregation degree of Pc to increase their activity, and achieve photothermal and photodynamic synergistic tumor therapy.

Is there an association between zinc and COVID-19-associated mucormycosis? Results of an experimental and clinical study.

BACKGROUND: The enormous increase in COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM) in India lacks an explanation. Zinc supplementation during COVID-19 management is speculated as a contributor to mucormycosis. We conducted an experimental and clinical study to explore the association of zinc and mucormycosis. METHODS: We inoculated pure isolates of Rhizopus arrhizus obtained from subjects with CAM on dichloran rose Bengal chloramphenicol (DRBC) agar enriched with (three different concentrations) and without zinc. At 24 h, we counted the viable colonies and measured the dry weight of colonies at 24, 48 and 72 h. We also compared the clinical features and serum zinc levels in 29 CAM cases and 28 COVID-19 subjects without mucormycosis (controls). RESULTS: We tested eight isolates of R arrhizus and noted a visible increase in growth in zinc-enriched media. A viable count percentage showed a significantly increased growth in four of the eight isolates in zinc-augmented DRBC agar. A time- and concentration-dependent increase in the mean fungal biomass with zinc was observed in all three isolates tested. We enrolled 29 cases of CAM and 28 controls. The mean serum zinc concentration was below the reference range in all the subjects and was not significantly different between the cases and controls. CONCLUSIONS: Half of the R arrhizus isolates grew better with zinc enrichment in vitro. However, our study does not conclusively support the hypothesis that zinc supplementation contributed to the pathogenesis of mucormycosis. More data, both in vitro and in vivo, may resolve the role of zinc in the pathogenesis of CAM.

Two Zn(II)-based Coordination Polymers: Treatment Activity on Chronic Periodontitis by Inhibiting the Relative Expression of the Porphyria gingivalis Survival Gene.

Two mixed-ligand complexes on the basis of L ligand [L = 3,6-bis(imidazol-1-yl)pyridazine] have been prepared under the solvothermal reaction conditions via the Zn(II) salts reacting with the ligands of L in the existence of two positional isomerous carboxylic acid ligands and their chemical formula respectively are [Zn5(L)(1,2-BDC)4(µ3-OH)2] n (1, 1,2-H2BDC = 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid ) and {[Zn4(L)2(1,3-HBDC) (1,3-BDC)(µ3-OH)4]·ClO4·3H2O} n (2, 1,3-H2BDC = 1,3-benzenedicarboxylic acid). The inhibitory influence of the two compounds against the inflammatory response in periodontium was evaluated by measuring the inflammatory cytokines releasing with ELISA detection kit. The results of ELISA assay indicated that compound 1 showed much stronger inhibitory influences than compound 2 against the inflammatory cytokines releasing. In addition to this, the suppression activity of the compounds against the survival gene of Porphyria gingivalis was detected via the real time Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction, and the results suggested that compound 1 could evidently suppresses the survival gene expression of Porphyria gingivalis, which is much better than the biological activity of compound 2. Above all, compound 1 was more outstanding than compound 2 on chronic periodontitis treatment by inhibiting the Porphyria gingivalis survival.

Nutritional Factors in Occupational Lung Disease.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Lung diseases such as asthma and COPD are major public health issues and related to occupational exposures. While therapies to limit the development and progression of these diseases are limited, nutrition interventions could offer potential alternatives to mediate the inflammation associated with these diseases. This is a narrative review of the current state of relevant nutrients on inflammation and respiratory outcomes associated with occupational exposures. RECENT FINDINGS: Relevant nutrients that have been investigated in recent years include omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, zinc, vitamin D, dairy products, and antioxidants. These nutrients have demonstrated the potential to prevent or modify the adverse outcomes associated with occupational exposures, primarily in preclinical studies. Current therapies for respiratory consequences associated with occupational exposures are limited; therefore, addressing strategies for reducing inflammation is important in improving quality of life and limiting health care costs. More human studies are warranted to determine the effectiveness of nutrition as an intervention.

Taste and smell disturbances in cancer patients: a scoping review of available treatments.

PURPOSE: Taste and smell disturbances in patients affected by cancer are very common, but often under-recognized symptoms. If not addressed properly, they may impact nutritional status, food enjoyment, and quality of life. Treatment tools available for clinicians to manage chemosensory alterations are limited and are often based on personal clinical experiences. The aim of this study was to assess current oncological and palliative care literature through a scoping review, in order to identify available treatments for taste and smell alterations in cancer patients. METHODS: Medline, Embase, CINAHL, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, and Google Scholar were searched from inception until January 2020, with subject headings relevant to the domains of chemosensory alterations, palliative, and cancer care. A total of 10,718 English and French language publications were reviewed, yielding 43 articles on the researched topic. RESULTS: The heterogeneity of selected articles led to difficulties in interpretation and analysis of the available evidence. Included publications differed in study design, population sample, anticancer treatments, and measures of assessment for taste and smell disturbances. A broad variety of treatment options were described including zinc and polaprezinc, radio-protectors, vitamins and supplements, anti-xerostomia agents, active swallowing exercises, nutritional interventions, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, and photobiomodulation. CONCLUSION: This scoping review identifies the current state of knowledge regarding chemosensory alterations within supportive cancer care. Despite not reaching firm conclusions, this article offers therapeutic venues to further explore in larger and more methodologically sound studies.

Additive Effects of Zinc Chloride on the Suppression of Hepatitis A Virus Replication by Interferon in Human Hepatoma Huh7 Cells.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection is still one of the serious health problems worldwide, despite the existence of effective vaccines for HAV. Zinc compounds have antiviral activities against various DNA and RNA viruses. Therefore, we investigated the effects of zinc compounds on the antiviral activity of interferon against HAV. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effects of zinc compounds with or without interferon on HAV genotype IIIA HA11-1299 replication were examined in human hepatoma Huh7 cells. Cell viability was examined by the MTS assay. Inflammasome associated gene expression was examined by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Both zinc sulfate and zinc chloride had an inhibitory effect on HAV replication. Zinc sulfate tended to enhance while zinc chloride significantly enhanced the anti-HAV effect induced by interferon-alpha-2a. Zinc chloride significantly up-regulated mitogen-activated protein kinase 12 (MAPK12) and down-regulated 6 related genes [baculoviral IAP repeat containing 3 (BIRC3), interleukin 1 beta (IL1B), proline-serine-threonine phosphatase interacting protein 1 (PSTPIP1), prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2), PYD and CARD domain containing (PYCARD), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)]. CONCLUSION: Zinc chloride inhibits HAV replication and has additive effects on the anti-HAV activities of interferon.

Efficacy of quadruple regimen with polaprezinc for gastric Helicobacter pylori infection eradication: protocol for a single-centre, single-blind, non-inferiority, randomised clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the most well-known risk factor for gastric cancer. At present, H. pylori shows varying levels of resistance to different treatments, leading to a lower rate of H. pylori eradication. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of polaprezinc-containing quadruple therapy (PQT) for the eradication of H. pylori infection and, thus, to provide more evidence to inform the clinical treatment of H. pylori infection in China. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a single-centre, single-blind, non-inferiority, randomised controlled trial, enrolling 158 patients with H. pylori infection. Patients are randomised (1:1) to the two groups for a 14-day therapy. Treatment group: PQT (esomeprazole 20 mg, amoxicillin 1 g, clarithromycin 500 mg, polaprezinc 75 mg) two times per day; control group: bismuth-containing quadruple therapy (esomeprazole 20 mg, amoxicillin 1 g, clarithromycin 500 mg, bismuth potassium citrate 220 mg) two times per day. The primary outcome is the rate of H. pylori eradication. Secondary outcomes are the incidence of adverse events and the gastrointestinal microbiota distribution. The 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) next-generation sequencing (NGS) is used to evaluate the effect of two different therapies on the distribution of the gastrointestinal microbiota. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Sichuan Cancer Center & Hospital (No. SCCHEC-02-2019-015). Any amendment to the research protocol will be submitted for ethical approval. All participants must provide informed consent. On completion, the results of the study will be published in the appropriate peer-reviewed journal. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR1900025800; preresults.

Prognostic factors of recovery with medication in patients with taste disorders.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to elucidate the prognostic factors of the patients with taste disorders who were treated with popular and common medication in Japan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study on the medical charts of a total of 255 patients with taste disorders who were treated primarily with oral medication including a zinc agent. RESULTS: The factors below were significantly linked with poor prognosis: 1) male gender, 2) taste disorders that began 3 months before starting treatment and 3) a severe taste disorder grade at the initial visit. CONCLUSIONS: We have concluded that the prognosis for the patients with taste disorders who were treated by popular and standard medication therapy in Japan recently was significantly linked to gender, the period of 3 months before starting the treatment and the severity of the disorder at the time of diagnosis. In addition, we recognized some limitations we should resolve in further research including a method of measuring "umami" and so on. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Better awareness of these factors should be clinically useful when we manage patients with taste disorders. Earlier treatment should be started to cure the symptoms.

Polaprezinc (Zinc-L-Carnosine Complex) as an Add-on Therapy for Binge Eating Disorder and Bulimia Nervosa, and the Possible Involvement of Zinc Deficiency in These Conditions: A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Zinc plays an important role in appetite regulation. L-Carnosine, an endogenous dipeptide, may also regulate eating behavior via its histaminergic and antiglutamatergic properties. Polaprezinc (zinc-L-carnosine complex) is a medication for gastric ulcers. A small case series reported successful treatment of binge eating with add-on polaprezinc. METHODS: This was an open trial of add-on polaprezinc in patients with binge eating disorder (BED; n = 22) or bulimia nervosa (BN; n = 7) receiving antidepressants. A 4-week baseline period was followed by a 16-week polaprezinc treatment at 150 mg/d (containing 34 mg zinc and 116 mg L-carnosine) in addition to ongoing psychotropic medications. We also assessed their zinc status via a laboratory index and zinc deficiency-related symptoms. RESULTS: At the study end, both conditions showed a significant reduction in the 4-week frequency of combined objective and subjective binge eating episodes, the 4-week frequency of days when at least 1 such episode occurred (only in BED), several aspects of eating disorder psychopathology (rated by the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire), and comorbid depressive symptoms (rated by the 16-item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology [Self-Report]). Serum copper/zinc ratio decreased from 1.4 to 1.1 on average in both conditions. All patients had multiple zinc deficiency-related symptoms at baseline that substantially improved after polaprezinc treatment. Overall, the effectiveness of polaprezinc was greater in BED patients than in BN patients, with minor adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS: These findings offer preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of polaprezinc in treating BED and BN and suggest the involvement of zinc deficiency in these conditions.

Clinical effectiveness of zinc supplementation on the biomarkers of oxidative stress: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress plays an important role in the occurrence of chronic diseases. Zinc supplementation is also known to be an antioxidant agent. While, there is no review on the effects of zinc supplementation on oxidative stress, this study aimed to systematically summarize randomized clinical trials (RCTs) which have evaluated the impacts of zinc supplementation on oxidative stress biomarkers. METHODS: Systematic searches were performed using the PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases, up to April 2020. All RCTs assessed the effect of oral zinc supplementation on serum malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), glutathione (GSH), and nitric oxide (NO) levels, were included. For each variable, mean differences (MD) and standard deviations (SDs) were combined using the random-effects model, and the fractional polynomial model was used to implement the dose-response analysis. RESULTS: Ten RCTs were included. The pooled analysis of data showed that zinc supplementation significantly reduced MDA levels (MD: -0.42 µmol/L; 95 % CI: -0.71 to -0.13), increased serum TAC (MD: 225.96 mmol/L; 95 % CI: 68.42-383.5) and GSH levels (MD: 49.99 µmol/L; 95 % CI: 2.25 t 97.73), compared with the placebo group. In contrast, no significant changes were seen in NO levels following zinc supplementation (MD: -1.66 µmol/L; 95 % CI: -5.89 to 2.57). Dose-response analysis showed a significant non-linear relationship between zinc supplementation dosage and serum levels of MDA (p < 0.01), but not other biomarkers. CONCLUSIONS: The current study showed that zinc supplementation would significantly decrease MDA and increase TAC and GSH, but not NO levels. Thus, it encourages the use of zinc supplementation in oxidative stress-related diseases.

A Combination of Cryopreservation and Kneading Maintains the Usability of Mohs Paste.

Mohs paste is useful for controlling exudates from wounds and infections and is used to treat patients with inoperable skin tumors. Unfortunately, Mohs paste is difficult to preserve because its viscosity and stickiness increase dramatically immediately after preparation, resulting in decreased usability. In this study, the combined use of cryopreservation and kneading was shown to improve long-term storage of Mohs paste. At 25°C, Mohs pastes solidified rapidly, and viscosity reached approximately 700 Pa·s 5 h after preparation. In contrast, cryopreservation at -20°C attenuated hardening of Mohs pastes, and kneading also decreased viscosity. The viscosity of Mohs pastes cotreated with cryopreservation and kneading after 7 months of storage was <70 Pa·s. In addition, tissue invasion with these stored pastes was similar to freshly prepared Mohs paste. Results suggest that the combination of cryopreservation and kneading permits Mohs paste to be stored over extended periods, which may increase the utility of the paste for clinical use.

Efficacy and Safety of Polaprezinc (Zinc Compound) on Zinc Deficiency: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials Using Individual Patient Data.

Zinc intake is recommended for zinc deficiency. In clinical practice, polaprezinc has been used as a zinc replacement therapy for zinc deficiency. However, the efficacy of polaprezinc has not been established. To confirm the efficacy on zinc deficiency of polaprezinc and provide additional information on an appropriate regimen, we conducted a systematic review using individual patient data (IPD). We searched PubMed, the Japanese database Ichushi, and the database owned by the marketing authorization holder of polaprezinc. Randomized placebo-controlled trials that reported the serum zinc concentration were eligible. The mean difference of the change from baseline in serum zinc concentration was estimated using a fixed-effects model. The linear dose-response relationship and the subgroup effects were also assessed. Out of 54 unique randomized clinical trials (RCTs), four studies met the eligibility criteria, and we could access IPD for all of them. All three doses of polaprezinc (75 mg, 150 mg, and 300 mg) and the placebo group were examined. The dose-combined overall polaprezinc increased the change from baseline by a mean of 9.08 µg/dL (95% confidence interval: 5.46, 12.70; heterogeneity: I2 = 0.61%) compared to the placebo. A significant dose-response relationship was confirmed (p < 0.001). Baseline serum zinc concentration was considered an effect modifier in polaprezinc 300 mg. All doses of polaprezinc were tolerable, but a dose-response relationship with adverse events (AEs) was observed in gastrointestinal disorders. The dose of 300 mg may be useful among patients with baseline serum zinc concentration of less than 70 µg/dL, and 150 mg for 70 µg/dL or more.

A Mixed-ligand Zn(II)-based Coordination Polymer for Selectively Detect 2,4,6-Trinitrophenol (TNP) and Treatment Effect on Periodontal Diseases via Inhibition Effect on P. gingivalis Growth.

A new difunctional Zn(II) coordination polymer (CP) with the chemical formula of [Zn(TBTA) (L)1.5]n (1) has been synthesized hydrothermally from tetrabromoterephthalic acid (H2TBTA) and 4,4'-bis(imidazole-1-yl)-biphenyl (L) ligands. Furthermore, due to its strong intense emission and open N donor sites, complex 1 could be used as a light-emitting sensor to determine 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) which has high selectivity and sensitivity. Furthermore, the anti-bacterial effect of the compound against P. gingivalis in vitro was evaluated by measuring the P. gingivalis growth curves after compound treatment. And the RT-PCR assay was performed to detect the relative expression of ragA and ragB, which are important for the P. gingivalis growth. The potential anti-infectious mechanism was further studied by using molecular docking technique.

A revisit to the effects of zinc salt on skin burn wound healing to reflect the risks in current pharmaceutical care.

The lower limit of soluble zinc content that can possibly be applied onto a wounded skin as a healing promoter was not known. This study examined skin wound healing process of rats inflicted by partial thickness thermal burn wound as a function of applied soluble zinc contents (0.1 ml of zinc chloride solution 0.01% (w/w) or 5.0% (w/w)). The size, surface morphology and histological profiles of wound beds of untreated rats and those treated with zinc chloride solutions were characterized. A soluble zinc content as low as 10.5 µg/cm2 of skin negated skin wound healing when compared to the untreated rats. This was alarming as the commercial products currently in the market are formulated with a high level of zinc content. Albeit the zinc salt employed was water-insoluble, a minute fraction of soluble zinc might be available to the treatment sites. This could be partially responsible for the late adverse effects such as pruritis and inflammation reported with calamine/diphenhydramine lotion, medicated shampoo, Olay Complete defense moisturizing lotion and Zineryt® topical solution. The skin irritation was likely a resultant oxidative stress action of soluble zinc, where a small fraction could be adequate to negate the skin homeostasis.[Figure: see text]Key messagesZinc is essentially a cofactor for skin collagen formation.Soluble zinc content as low as 10.5 µg/cm2 of skin irritates skin and negates burn wound healing.Skin irritation of commercial products relates to minute soluble zinc content availability.