NCT00809809

Zinc for the Treatment of Herpes Simplex Labialis (HSL)

A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Multi-Center Trial of Zinc for the Treatment of Herpes Simplex Labialis (HSL)

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 3
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 157 (actual)
• Sponsor: Integrative Medicine Institute · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Evaluate the effectiveness of a topical preparation of zinc to treat cold sores.

Detailed description

Zinc salts irreversibly inhibit herpes virus replication in vitro and are effective in treating herpes infections in vivo and have been shown in a clinical trial to be a effective topical treatment for HSL. Zinc salt solutions applied to herpetic lesions decrease viral load and markedly improve healing rates, relieving the symptoms of herpes as healing occurs. Zinc swabs contain 33 mmol/l of ionic Zinc in an emulsification of Benzalkonium chloride, glycerin, hydroxyethylcellulose, sodium chloride, and sodium hydroxide (ph 7.2). Zinc gluconate is monographed in the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States (HPUS) and one of OTC indications for Zinc and its salts is for the treatment of cold sores.

Conditions

• Herpes Simplex Labialis

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	Zicam (Ionic zinc)	33mmol/l of ionic zinc
DRUG	placebo	placebo swab

Timeline

• Start date: 2008-12-01
• Primary completion: 2009-09-01
• Completion: 2010-12-01
• First posted: 2008-12-17
• Last updated: 2014-01-08
• Results posted: 2014-01-08

Locations

3 sites across 1 country: United States