Aspirin in a new role in human body

Anamitra Goswami, Moumita Sil, Nabanita Mukherjee, Arunava Goswami, Prashant Ratnaparkhi

Biological Sciences Division, Institute of National Importance, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

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Anamitra Goswami, Moumita Sil, Nabanita Mukherjee Arunava Goswami, Prashant Ratnaparkhi, 2023. Aspirin in a new role in human body.
Journal of medical pharmaceutical and allied sciences, V 12 - I 6, Pages- 6281 – 6284. Doi: https://doi.org/10.55522/jmpas.V12I6.5834.

ABSTRACT

In 1897, German chemist Felix Hoffman synthesized acetylsalicylic acid, known as aspirin, which revolutionized its widespread modern use for pain relief. Aspirin acts as an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and has a modifying effect on the enzymatic activity of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). It inhibits the production of prostaglandins, crucial for various physiological processes, and has been linked to a reduced risk of pre-eclampsia and preterm delivery before 34 weeks of pregnancy. However, aspirin's COX-1 inhibition is irreversible and long-lasting, requiring new enzymes to replace those acetylated. Low-dose aspirin has been reported to increase bone mineral density (BMD) in elderly individuals, coinciding with the growing prevalence of osteoporosis. However, a definitive connection between the use of low-dose aspirin and BMD remains elusive. A study examined the relationship between low-dose aspirin use and BMD in adults aged 50 to 80. A higher BMD in the femur, intertrochanter, and L1 regions compared to those who do not use aspirin was reported. However, the abstract acknowledges limitations and emphasizes the need for future research, including randomized controlled trials, to establish a causal relationship between low-dose aspirin use and enhanced bone density.

Keywords:

Aspirin, COX-1, COX-2, osteoporosis, bone mineral density.

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