ZEOLITE: "THE MAGIC STONE"; MAIN NUTRITIONAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, EXPERIMENTAL AND CLINICAL FIELDS OF APPLICATION.

INTRODUCTION: zeolites (clinoptilolites) are a family of alluminosilicates and cations clustered to form macro aggregates by small individual cavities. In the medical area they are involved in detoxification mechanisms capturing ions and molecules into their holes. Actually, we classify about 140 types of natural and 150 synthetic zeolites, for specific and selective use. Clinoptilolite is a natural zeolite and it is the most widespread compound in the medical market.

OBJECTIVE: this review analyzes the main fields of zeolite utilization.

METHODS: we searched Pubmed/Medline using the terms "zeolite" and "clinoptilolite".

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: in zoothechnology and veterinary medicine zeolite improves the pets' fitness, removes radioactive elements, aflatoxines and poisons. Zeolite displays also antioxidant, whitening, hemostatic and anti-diarrhoic properties, projected in human care. However very scanty clinical studies have been run up to now in immunodeficiency, oncology after chemotherapy and radiotherapy as adjuvants.

CONCLUSIONS: further clinical investigations are urgently required after this review article publication which updates the state of the art.