Zinc as a cure for the common cold.

[Bruce Phillips]

	I am skeptical whether zinc can defeat the common cold, especially 
given the diversity of viruses that causes this syndrome.  However, zinc
is a very potent inhibitor of the proteolytic processing of poliovirus
proteins and, I think, rhinovirus processing reactions as well.  I know
these findings have been obtained in vitro.  In addition, zinc is a potent
inhibitor ( in nM conc.) of the ability of the polio pentameric subunit
(14S particle) to assemble into capsids in vitro.  Whether these phenomena
translate into a therapeutic strategy in the treatment of rhinovirus
infections is beyond me.