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PepZinGI® zinc-carnosine protects the small intestine from NSAID-induced injury, study shows.

Highlights

  • PepZinGI® zinc-carnosine protects the small intestine from NSAID-induced injury in healthy adults.
  • Effective dosage is 37.5 mg, twice daily
  • Action mediated through stabilizing gut permeability

Summary

This double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study was designed to examine the effect of zinc-carnosine complex on drug-induced gut injury and repair.

For this preliminary study, researchers randomly assigned 10 healthy volunteers to take indomethacin (50 mg, 3 times a day) with a placebo or PepZinGI® zinc-carnosine (ZnC) (37.5 mg, twice daily) for 5-day periods separated by a 2-week washout period. Changes in gut permeability were compared, as measured by the lactulose:rhamnose ratio. (The lactulose:rhamnose ratio is a safe, simple indirect measure of gut permeability with high sensitivity. Assessment of excretion of two molecules of different sizes, such as a monosaccharide and a disaccharide, with HPLC with pulsed amphometric detection provides high sensitivity and allows correction for potential confounding factors such as changes in the rate of gastric emptying and small-intestinal transit.)

Results indicate that taking indomethacin with a placebo for 5 days caused a significant (P<.01) increase in gut permeability. By contrast, when indomethacin was taken with ZnC, there was no significant increase in gut permeability. No side effects due to ingestion of ZnC were reported.

This is reported to be the first clinical study to show that ZnC protects the small intestine from NSAID-induced injury. These findings indicate that ZnC (37.5 mg, twice daily) helps stabilize gut mucosa and suggests that ZnC could play a role in helping to prevent the rise in gut permeability caused by standard clinical doses of the NSAID indomethacin.

PepZinGI® is a registered trademark of Hamari Chemicals LTD.

Reference

Mahmood A, FitzGerald AJ, Marchbank T, et al. Zinc carnosine, a health food supplement that stabilises small bowel integrity and stimulates gut repair processes. Gut. 2007;56(2):168-75.

PMID: 16777920
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