By Melissa Powell
With cold season affecting the academic and social lives of many students at the University, the department of chemistry and the Institute for the Development of Education in the Advanced Sciences (IDEAS) discussed a future cure for the common cold.
Dr. Sabrina Sobel, associate professor of chemistry and physics, gave a power point presentation on the discovery, development, impact and future of zinc ion therapy.
Dr. Sobel emphasized the common cold is a big deal because it affects the productivity at work for a large number of the population. Approximately 25 percent of the population experiences at least one cold per year. Out of that 25 percent, only half of those individuals see a doctor. The common cold can last anywhere from four to nine days. Some people can get over a cold relatively quickly, but for rest it takes more time.
"Zinc, in addition to being important to the body, is the second most abundant metal in our system," Sobel said. "Zinc is very important to the protein that regulates DNA and we need that zinc protein around to help with regulation."
Zinc is used to treat minor burns, canker sores, bad breath and is essential for wound repair.
Sobel said zinc was discovered in 1981 by George Eby who treated his 3-year-old daughter with a zinc supplement in order to facilitate her healing. In 1984 Eby pioneered the first clinical trial of zinc gluconate lozenges. Similarly, there were seven more clinical trials, but the doctors could not find a consistent trend for curing the common cold.
After looking at all the statistics of his clinical trials, Eby realized zinc helped treat the common cold. Zinc has a positive charge, which bonds to amino acids to battle the virus.
"Through zinc, their cold lasts half as long and their symptoms are lessened," Sobel said.
"Not only will zinc help colds, but it can be a simple cure, said Tracy Concepcion, a junior and research assistant for Sobel, said. It's so cheap to buy lozenges rather than by Tylenol. Its money smart and health smart."
To combat the common cold, Sobel suggests taking Cold-Eeze, an all natural cold drop lozenge. Furthermore, she suggests taking Novitra cream for canker sores and Breathsavers to fight bad breath.
"It was quite interesting to know that zinc can do so much for people naturally rather then taking over-the-counter medicines or prescription drugs," Sandra Davenport, a junior taking organic chemistry with Sobel, said. "I want to be a physician's assistant and I would probably go that route for some of my patients to treat the common cold or canker sores."