I haven't tried Zicam Allergy Relief myself because I don't have allergies, but several people who have used it said that it works very well. One person told me that their girlfriend, a flight attendant, uses it everytime she gets off a flight because it relieves the stuffiness in her nose. The active ingredients in Zicam Allergy Relief are are Luffa Operculata, Galphimia Glauca, Histaminum Hydrochloricum, and Sulphur. It is my understanding, although I haven't verified it, that some of these ingredients underwent clinical testing in Europe and were found to be effective against allergy symptoms. Have you heard of any of these ingredients? I'd be interested in your opinion if you know what they are and how effective they are. The only thing that I know about them is that they are classified as homeopathic per the Homeopathic Pharmacopeia of the US. Zicam Allergy Relief is unique because it combines ingredients that aren't found in the same combination in any other product, and the ingredients are suspended in the gel matrix used to make Zicam Cold Remedy. I'm sure that the company is conducting, or has conducted clinical studies on the Allergy product and will release the results when they have them, or when they are published. Of course marketing is important, and I think that Gum Tech will address this concern by establishing a marketing relationship or joint venture with a larger company that already sells OTC drugs.
I seem to remember Hank concluding that Zicam Allergy Relief contained zinc before he even saw the ingredients, and he claimed that it wouldn't work because zinc wasn't effective against allergies. Come to think of it, Hank has a lot of misconceptions and jumps to conclusions quite often.
Best of luck,
Dan |
