The use of zinc, particularly in the context of a nitric-zinc complex, has shown varying degrees of effectiveness for treating warts, particularly plantar warts. A study found that a nitric-zinc solution achieved a cure rate of about 59.2% in patients suffering from plantar warts, suggesting it could serve as a viable treatment option [2]. However, when compared to traditional cryotherapy, the nitric-zinc complex had a slightly lower cure rate, with patients requiring more treatment sessions on average [3]. Furthermore, zinc treatments appear less effective than alternatives like Candida antigen, which demonstrated a clearance rate of 94.3% [4].
Overall, while zinc as a treatment for warts, especially when used in combination with other agents like nitric acid, has shown promise in certain studies, it doesn't consistently outperform other treatment methods. For instance, in a comparison with vitamin D3, zinc sulfate showed a complete response rate of 71.4% versus vitamin D3's 80% [10]. Therefore, while zinc may help in some cases, it is often considered less effective compared to other therapies, indicating the need for further investigation to determine its place in wart treatment strategies.