Purpose: Additive effect of zinc supplementation on the treatment of chronic hepatitis C by interferon was demonstrated in hepatitis virus genotype 1b and high viral load. This study focused on the patients with genotype 2 which is more sensitive to interferon than genotype 1b, treated by consensus interferon with or without zinc. Methods: We randomized 83 patients with chronic hepatitis C to consensus IFN (CIFN) 18MIU 6 times/week for 4 weeks, followed by CIFN 18MIU 6 times/week for further 20 weeks given in combination with polaprezinc 300 mg/day (regimen A, n = 41) or as monotherapy (regimen B, n = 42). Results: Thirty-one patients in regimen A and 33 patients in regimen B completed this trial; the other patients withdrew because of side effects or a transfer to another hospital. No additional side effects of polaprezinc were noted. Sustained biochemical response, defined as normal aminotransferase level at the end of the 6 months post treatment observation, was 68 and 69%, and sustained virological response, defined as undetectable HCV-RNA at the end of the 6 months post treatment observation, was 54 and 67% for regimen A and B, respectively. Conclusions: Combination of CIFN treatment with zinc did not enhance the effect of CIFN as shown by biochemical, virological criteria.