Synergism of organic zinc salts and sulfhydryl compounds (thiols) in the protection of mice against acute ethanol toxicity, and protective effects of various metal salts.

Organic zinc salts such as zinc aspartate, zinc orotate, zinc histidine and zinc acetate protected mice against the lethality of an acute intraperitoneal challenge with ethanol. A similar activity was also provided by salts of cobalt, zirconium, lithium and magnesium. Organic zinc salts acted synergistically with sulfhydryl compounds in protecting the mice and potentiation between the two categories of agents was seen. The results are in analogy to radioprotective effects by zinc and thiols and imply that organic zinc salts may, alone or in conjunction with thiols, reduce in a wider context tissue injury caused by free radical-mediated mechanisms.