title: Zicam-induced damage to mouse and human nasal tissue.
abstract: Intranasal medications are used to treat various nasal disorders. However, their effects on olfaction remain unknown. Zicam (zinc gluconate; Matrixx Initiatives, Inc), a homeopathic substance marketed to alleviate cold symptoms, has been implicated in olfactory dysfunction. Here, we investigated Zicam and several common intranasal agents for their effects on olfactory function. Zicam was the only substance that showed significant cytotoxicity in both mouse and human nasal tissue. Specifically, Zicam-treated mice had disrupted sensitivity of olfactory sensory neurons to odorant stimulation and were unable to detect novel odorants in behavioral testing. These findings were long-term as no recovery of function was observed after two months. Finally, human nasal explants treated with Zicam displayed significantly elevated extracellular lactate dehydrogenase levels compared to saline-treated controls, suggesting severe necrosis that was confirmed on histology. Our results demonstrate that Zicam use could irreversibly damage mouse and human nasal tissue and may lead to significant smell dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Jae H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Greg E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Zhenshan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Vicky
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yuping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Tessa C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Rue
authors.forename: Daniel R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Storm
mesh_terms: D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000818:Animals; D005942:Gluconates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects*; D009812:Odorants; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced; D018034:Olfactory Receptor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D018035:Receptors, Odorant / Q000502:physiology*; D012903:Smell; D014404:Tubulin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005942:Gluconates; D018035:Receptors, Odorant; D014404:Tubulin; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; C030691:gluconic acid