Properties of Zinc

it is a metallic mineral essential for human life and health; thanks to its countless properties, it is widely used in drugs, food supplements, deodorants, cosmetics, personal hygiene products, etc.

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It is involved in a very long series of physiological processes and is contained relatively abundantly in certain foods; also to enjoy its therapeutic properties, it may sometimes be advisable to increase its nutritional intake with food supplements.

On the other hand, the correlations between zinc and health do not stop at the nutritional role. It is in fact responsible for a long series of reactions and interactions with the organism that can be considered "therapeutic".

Zinc is mainly used in oxidized form: zinc oxide (ZnO). Probably less effective, but still present in various formulas, is zinc sulphate (ZnSO4). Forms of zinc acetate [(CH3COO) 2Zn] and zinc gluconate (C12H22O14Zn) are also widespread.

In recent years, technological progress has also made it possible to develop a "further pharmaceutical type reduced to nano particles, extremely effective especially in the formulation of creams and ointments for topical use. It has the same applications as the traditional one but, apparently, it enjoys greater effectiveness.

or applied topically. The properties of zinc, although not all confirmed by the scientific bibliography, are:

• Topical use - creams, ointments, ointments and sprays:
  • Antibacterial
  • Antiviral; note: zinc-based nasal sprays have been withdrawn from the market
  • Anti-itch - in creams, ointments, baby powder, shampoos etc.
  • Solar filter
  • Muscle injuries preventive
  • Deodorant
• Internal use - zinc supplements, usually formulated in tablets:
  • Antioxidant
  • Antiviral - against rhinovirus colds
  • Antidiarrheal
  • Antidepressant
  • Partly preventive against age-related macular degeneration
  • Remedy for enteropathic acrodermatitis
  • Reduces the symptoms of infectious gastroenteritis
  • It is possible that it masks drugs in the urine.

and antibacterial and for this reason it is added to materials and fabrics such as cotton, rubber, and to products for oral hygiene and food packaging. Chelated zinc is used in toothpastes and mouthwashes as a preventive agent from halitosis.

The antibacterial action, better in particulate matter, is not exclusive to ZnO and is also shared by other materials such as silver. This greater effectiveness is induced by the increased surface area of ​​fine particles compared to coarse ones.

Zinc nanoparticles against bacteria

The zinc oxide nanoparticles, which have an average size between 20 nm and 45 nm, can improve the antibacterial activity of ciprofloxacin - the fluoroquinolone drug - in particular against Staphylococcus aureus and the "Escherichia coli; note: observation was made only in vitro.

The potentiation effect of this nanomaterial depends above all on the concentration with respect to all the test strains. The mechanism of action could be of double value:

• First, the zinc oxide nanoparticles could interfere with the NorA protein, which is developed by bacteria to impart greater resistance, and serves to mediate the efflux of hydrophilic fluoroquinolones from the cell.
• Second, zinc oxide nanoparticles could interfere with the Omf protein, which is responsible for permeation of quinolone antibiotics into the cell.