The Study
Antiviral Activity of the Zinc Ionophores Pyrithione and Hinokitiol against Picornavirus Infections
This is like watching what happens when you mix two chemicals in a test tube. It shows us what might happen in a very simple lab setting, but it doesn't tell us if it would work in people or animals.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
Scientists found two chemicals that help zinc get into cells to stop cold viruses from growing.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 53 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Not specified
- 2Not specified
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of Virology
Year
2008
Authors
B. Krenn, E. Gaudernak, B. Holzer, Kjerstin Lanke, F. V. Kuppeveld, J. Seipelt
Related Content
Claims (7)
Zinc can stop cold viruses from copying themselves and spreading in lab tests.
Zinc can stop viruses from copying themselves and spreading in lab tests, even for cold viruses.
Two special chemicals can stop certain viruses from growing in lab tests by messing up how the viruses build their parts, which might help fight these types of viruses.
Two chemicals stop a virus from cutting an important protein in cells, which might help prevent the virus from making copies of itself.
These two chemicals help zinc quickly get inside cells and go to specific spots like mitochondria. This temporary zinc boost is what makes them fight certain viruses.
Two chemicals, pyrithione and hinokitiol, can fight certain viruses by needing zinc helpers to work, and they do this by raising zinc levels inside cells—a new way to stop these viruses.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.