Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
Quick facts
- How it is given
- intravenous
- Type
- human prescription drug
- RxNorm ID
- 237508
We do not publish dosing. How much of this medicine to take, how often, and for how long depends on your age, weight, kidney and liver function, other conditions and other medicines. That is a decision for the person who prescribes or dispenses it. Follow the directions on your own pack and ask your pharmacist if anything is unclear.
What it is used to treat
INDICATIONS AND USAGE Zinc Chloride Injection, USP, 1 mg/mL is indicated for use as a supplement to intravenous solutions given for TPN. Administration helps to maintain zinc serum levels and to prevent depletion of endogenous stores, and subsequent deficiency symptoms.
About this medicine
DESCRIPTION Zinc Chloride Injection, USP, 1 mg/mL is a sterile, nonpyrogenic solution intended for use as an additive to intravenous solutions for total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Each mL of solution contains 2.09 mg zinc chloride and 9 mg sodium chloride. The solution contains no bacteriostat, antimicrobial agent or added buffer. The pH is 2.0 (1.5 to 2.5); product may contain hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide for pH adjustment. The osmolarity is 0.354 mOsmoL/mL (calc.). Zinc Chloride, USP is chemically designated ZnCl 2 , a white crystalline compound freely soluble in water. Sodium Chloride, USP is chemically designated NaCl, a white crystalline compound freely soluble in water. The semi-rigid vial is fabricated from a specially formulated polyolefin. It is a copolymer of ethylene and propylene. The safety of the plastic has been confirmed by tests in animals according to USP biological standards for plastic containers. The small amount of water vapor that can pass through the plastic container wall will not significantly alter the drug concentration.
Warnings
WARNINGS Direct intramuscular or intravenous injection of Zinc Chloride Injection, USP, 1 mg/mL is contraindicated as the acidic pH of the solution (2) may cause considerable tissue irritation. Severe kidney disease may make it necessary to reduce or omit chromium and zinc doses because these elements are primarily eliminated in the urine. WARNING: This product contains aluminum that may be toxic. Aluminum may reach toxic levels with prolonged parenteral administration if kidney function is impaired. Premature neonates are particularly at risk because their kidneys are immature, and they require large amounts of calcium and phosphate solutions, which contain aluminum. Research indicates that patients with impaired kidney function, including premature neonates, who receive parenteral levels of aluminum at greater than 4 to 5 mcg/kg/day accumulate aluminum at levels associated with central nervous system and bone toxicity. Tissue loading may occur at even lower rates of administration.
If too much is taken
OVERDOSAGE Single intravenous doses of 1 to 2 mg zinc/kg body weight have been given to adult leukemic patients without toxic manifestations. However, acute toxicity was reported in an adult when 10 mg zinc was infused over a period of one hour on each of four consecutive days. Profuse sweating, decreased level of consciousness, blurred vision, tachycardia (140/min), and marked hypothermia (94.2° F) on the fourth day were accompanied by a serum zinc concentration of 207 mcg/dl. Symptoms abated within three hours. Hyperamylasemia may be a sign of impending zinc overdosage; patients receiving an inadvertent overdose (25 mg zinc/liter of TPN solution, equivalent to 50 to 70 mg zinc/day) developed hyperamylasemia (557 to 1850 Klein units; normal: 130 to 310). Death resulted from an overdosage in which 1683 mg zinc was delivered intravenously over the course of 60 hours to a 72-year-old patient. Symptoms of zinc toxicity included hypotension (80/40 mm Hg), pulmonary edema, diarrhea, vomiting, jaundice, and oliguria, with a serum zinc level of 4184 mcg/dl. Calcium supplements may confer a protective effect against zinc toxicity.
Before you take anything new
Tell your pharmacist or doctor about every medicine you take — including ones bought without a prescription, herbal products and supplements. Interactions are one of the most common avoidable causes of harm from medicines, and a pharmacist can check your full list in a couple of minutes.
This page is built from the openFDA record of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approved labelling for this product, effective 27 August 2021. Label text has been shortened and reformatted for readability; safety wording has not been altered in meaning. FDA labelling describes products approved in the United States — brand names, strengths, formulations and approved uses may differ in your country. Always read the leaflet that comes with your own pack. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the FDA. Retrieved 2026-07-30.