A zinc-containing compound, Polaprezinc, is effective for patients with taste disorders: randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center study.
CONCLUSIONS
The effect of a zinc-containing compound, Polaprezinc, was shown to clinically improve the disease conditions of idiopathic taste disorders with no serious side effects in a well controlled double-blinded clinical study.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a zinc-containing compound in the treatment of patients with idiopathic taste disorders, including patients with low serum zinc, by a Good Clinical Practice (GCP)-compliant, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multi-center clinical study.


METHODS
A group of 109 patients suffering from taste disorders was assigned into placebo and three treatment groups. Each group of patients was given either placebo (n=28), or 17 mg (n=27), 34 mg (n=26) or 68 mg (n=28) of oral zinc, Polaprezinc preparations, daily for 12 weeks.


RESULTS
The group of patients given 68 mg zinc showed a significant improvement in their gustatory sensitivity compared with the placebo group. The most common side effects observed were increase in serum triglyceride and serum alkaline phosphatase, decrease in serum iron, and some gastrointestinal incidents, although they were not serious.
Sakagami
Masafumi
M
Department of Otolaryngology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Hyogo, Japan. msakaga@hyo-med.ac.jp
Ikeda
Minoru
M
Tomita
Hiroshi
H
Ikui
Akihiro
A
Aiba
Tsunemasa
T
Takeda
Noriaki
N
Inokuchi
Akira
A
Kurono
Yuichi
Y
Nakashima
Mitsuyoshi
M
Shibasaki
Yuji
Y
Yotsuya
Osamu
O
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002336:Carnosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013651:Taste Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055815:Young Adult; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood; D017967:Zinc Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D017967:Zinc Compounds; C061957:polaprezinc; D002336:Carnosine; D015032:Zinc