Abstract
Zinc uptake from zinc sulfate, maltol-Zn and ethyl maltol-Zn complexes were 210, 220 and 235 μg/lit respectively. The higher zinc uptake from ethyl maltol-Zn complex may be attributed to its higher lipophilicity (Kpart = 0.18) than maltol-Zn complex ((Kpart = 0.5).
The results showed that, in spite of higher zinc uptake of ethyl maltol-Zn complex in comparison with zinc sulfate, statistically there is no significant difference between them. This investigation indicated that ethyl maltol-Zn complex could be considered as a suitable zinc complex for the treatment of zinc deficiency in replacement of zinc sulfate.