A pilot study to investigate the treatment of cervical human papillomavirus infection with zinc-citrate compound (CIZAR®)

Abstract Objective In the present study the potential therapeutic effects of zinc-citrate compound (CIZAR®) in women infected with high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) was investigated. Methods A total of 194 women diagnosed with HR-HPV infection using the Hybrid capture (HC) II assay with no evidence of high grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) or worse by Pap smear and colposcopy were enrolled. Among them, 76 women were treated by twice weekly self administered intra-vaginal infusion of 0.5mM zinc citrate solution containing CIZAR® for 12weeks and were evaluated for clearance of the HR-HPV infection compared to 118 women without treatment (Control group). Results The 12weeks zinc citrate solution treatment resulted in the elimination of HR-HPV in 49/76 (64.47%) patients compared to the spontaneous clearance of 15.25% (18/118) in the control group ( p =0.000). By logistic regression analysis, the 12week zinc citrate solution treatment reduced the risk of persistent HR-HPV infection significantly (OR 0.079; 95% CI 0.039-0.165; p =0.000). Conclusion The results of this study showed for the first time that treatment with intra-vaginal infusion of a zinc-citrate compound (CIZAR®) can result in elimination of HR-HPV infection from the uterine cervix.