A Comprehensive Monograph on Zinc Sulfate (DB09322): From Essential Micronutrient to Pharmacological Agent

Section 1: Identification and Physicochemical Characteristics

Zinc sulfate is an inorganic compound with a long history in both chemistry and medicine, where it was historically known as "white vitriol" or "white copperas".[1] As a modern therapeutic agent, it is a small molecule drug recognized by DrugBank with the accession number DB09322.[1] Its primary role is to serve as a source of zinc, an essential trace element vital for numerous physiological processes. This section provides a detailed profile of its chemical and physical properties, which are fundamental to understanding its formulation, stability, and clinical application.

1.1. Nomenclature and Chemical Identity

For unambiguous identification in scientific, regulatory, and clinical contexts, zinc sulfate is defined by a set of standardized identifiers.

• Primary Name: Zinc sulfate [1]
• DrugBank Accession: DB09322 [1]
• Drug Modality: Small Molecule [1]
• CAS Number: The Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) number for the anhydrous form is 7733-02-0.[1] The heptahydrate form is also identified by CAS number 7446-20-0, a distinction relevant for chemical sourcing and manufacturing.[6]
• Synonyms: The compound is referred to by several names, including zinc sulphate, zinc sulfate anhydrous, and zinc sulphate anhydrous.[1]
• Common Brand Names: In clinical practice, zinc sulfate is available under various brand names, including Anodan-HC, Anusol, Egozinc, Multitrace-4, Multitrace-5, Orazinc, Zinc-220, and others.[1]
• Regulatory Identifiers: Key chemical identifiers include:
• IUPAC Name: zinc; sulfate [10]
• EC Number: 231-793-3 [10]
• UNII: 89DS0H96TB [11]

1.2. Chemical Structure and Properties