Zinc in ulcerative colitis: a therapeutic trial and report on plasma levels.

Abstract
A double-blind controlled trial of oral zinc sulfate as adjuvant treatment in idiopathic ulcerative colitis or proctitis in relapse is reported. Patients (51) were treated, and the clinical and sigmoidoscopic improvement in the Zn treated patients was similar to that in patients receiving placebo. No difference was found between plasma Zn levels in a further 46 patients with idiopathic ulcerative colitis or proctitis and those obtained in a group of healthy controls.