Evaluation and comparison of zinc absorption level from 2-Alkyle 3-Hydroxy pyranon-zinc complexes and zinc sulfate in rat in vivo.

Background: Although zinc sulfate has been used to improve disorders originated from zinc deficiency, its low compliance is due to gastrointestinal complications; therefore, other zinc compounds have been suggested as replacers for zinc deficient people. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the absorption of ethyl and methyl zinc-maltol with that of zinc sulfate to substitute zinc sulfate with those complexes.

Materials And Methods: After five weeks of being fed by zinc deficient food, zinc deficient rats were divided into four groups randomly receiving medicinal solutions of zinc sulfate, zinc ethyl maltol and zinc methyl maltol using feeding tube method for two weeks while the control was received distilled water.