title: A double-blind trial of a zinc sulphate/citrate complex and tetracycline in the treatment of acne vulgaris.
abstract: Forty-eight patients participated in a 3-month double-blind study to compare the effect of orally administered zinc sulphate/citrate complex and tetracycline hydrochloride in acne vulgaris. Tetracycline significantly reduced the overall grade, and the number of non-inflamed lesions, papules and pustules by the third month. It also reduced significantly the non-inflamed lesions and papules at the end of the second month. In contrast, zinc therapy only had a significant effect on the pustules at the third month. The results indicate that tetracycline is far superior to the zinc complex in patients with moderately severe acne.
mesh_terms: D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002951:Citrates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D013431:Sulfates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015032:Zinc / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D002951:Citrates; D013431:Sulfates; D013752:Tetracycline; D015032:Zinc