Zinc compounds were probably used by early humans, in processed and unprocessed forms, as a paint or medicinal ointment, but their composition is uncertain. The use of
pushpanjan, probably zinc oxide, as a salve for eyes and open wounds, is mentioned in the
Indian medical text the
Charaka Samhita, thought to date from 500 BC or before.
[42] Zinc oxide ointment is also mentioned by the
Greek physician
Dioscorides (1st century AD.)
[43] Avicenna mentions zinc oxide in
The Canon of Medicine (1025 AD), which mentioned it as a preferred treatment for a variety of
skin conditions, including
skin cancer. Though it is no longer used for treating skin cancer, it is still widely used to treat a variety of other skin conditions, in products such as
baby powder and creams against
diaper rashes,
calamine cream, anti-
dandruff shampoos, and
antiseptic ointments.