Aspirin made one of the most brilliant careers in pharmacology of the 20th century. We treat colds, pain, fever and even a hangover with aspirin without hesitation. Even though it is a single-ingredient, very simple drug (based on acetylsalicylic acid), scientists are still finding new applications.

Aspirin , oracetylsalicylic acid (ASA)is a derivative of salicylic acid. Aspirin is a popular painkiller, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, and - with long-term use - anticoagulant. It relieves muscle pain, headaches (including migraine headaches) or toothaches. It is a component of many drugs. The name "aspirin" was patented by the German company Bayer.

Aspirin - properties

Aspirin was initially produced in the form of a powder. At the turn of the century, it was mixed with starch to obtain tablets that were easily soluble in water. This contributed to the increased popularity of acetylsalicylic acid among doctors and patients alike.

Medics appreciated the guarantee of precisely measured doses, while patients appreciated the price reduction thanks to the reduction of production costs by half. It soon turned out that acetylsalicylic acid can be successfully used in the treatment of pleurisy, tonsillitis and bladder inflammation.

It also helps in the treatment ofpainsjoints and rheumatic ailments, in cases of tuberculosis, gonorrhea and in the fight against gout. To this day, it is recommended in high doses in chronic rheumatoid arthritis, back pain, migraines.

Aspirin - action

Chemical processes are constantly going on in every cell of the body. If the surrounding membrane is damaged, one of the unsaturated fatty acids - arachidonic acid is released. With the help of an enzyme called cyclooxygenase, it is immediately converted into prostaglandins (released under the influence of both mechanical and chemical stimuli). These substances alert the body to damage in cells, they take part, among others, in in the transmission of pain and the formation of inflammation and fever.

Acetylsalicylic acid can inhibit the secretion of cyclooxygenase, and thus stop the release of prostaglandins. That is why it works so well as an anti-inflammatory and pain reliever. However, this is not the end of its possibilities. Well, prostaglandinsthey arise in many places in the body and wherever aspirin can be involved in the process of inhibiting their action. Thanks to this, it can, for example, prevent blood clotting.

When its platelets (thrombocytes) are activated, , which repair any damage to blood vessels, a prostaglandin-like compound called thromboxane A2 is released. It is he who starts the clotting process. Its synthesis also takes place as a result of the transformation of arachidonic acid under the influence of cyclooxygenase.

Acetylsalicylic acid, by inhibiting the activity of this enzyme, prevents the formation of thromboxane A2. A single contact of thrombocyte with acetylsalicylic acid inhibits the production of thromboxane by the platelets until the end of its life (about 8 days). Recently, another field of action of aspirin has been discovered.

Research shows that radiotherapy indirectly increases the production of prostaglandins, which weaken the immune system in the fight against cancer cells. Acetylsalicylic acid stops this process and restores the normal functioning of the immune system, so it may prove to be helpful in the body's fight against cancer.

Aspirin - application

Acetylsalicylic acid can prevent and alleviate the effects of many civilization diseases:

  • The most dangerous are cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries and myocardial infarction. Acetylsalicylic acid is taken regularly to stop blood clots from forming that can block the lumen of the arteries. Thus, it reduces the risk of a heart attack by almost a half. It also helps in a high dose during a heart attack (it reduces mortality by up to 23%).
  • It should also be taken by patients with attacks of transient ischemia, which may result in a stroke.
  • Acetylsalicylic acid is also helpful in the third trimester of pregnancy. In every tenth woman there is a sudden increase in pressure and the so-called pre-eclampsia. If left untreated, it sometimes leads to eclampsia, which can be dangerous for both mother and baby. The cause of the abnormalities is an imbalance between different types of prostaglandins, and acetylsalicylic acid can restore this balance.
  • Aspirin is also used to prevent complications from diabetes. One of them is the sealing of small coronary vessels. If this process (called microangiopathy) occurs in the retina of the eye, you can lose your eyesight. It turned out that by taking aspirin for a year, it was possible to reduce this risk by up to 50%.
  • The valuable properties of acetylsalicylic acid are also used by surgeons,because thanks to it, the risk of developing venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism after surgery can be reduced by half, while after bypass surgery, the risk of occlusion of a new blood vessel is equally reduced.

Aspirin - dosage

Adults can take from 500 mg to 1000 mg of acetylsalicylic acid at one time, i.e. about 1-2 tablets. The maximum daily dose for an adult is 4 g (about 8 tablets).

Children and adolescents over 12 years of age may take 500 mg of aspirin at one time, but only on the recommendation of a doctor. Do not use more than 1500 mg per day.

Aspirin - side effects and contraindications for use

There are no ideal drugs. Also, aspirin is not. It quickly turned out that the use of high doses of ASA can cause dangerous side effects, including:

  • damage to the gastric mucosa
  • stomach pains
  • aspirin-induced asthma
  • interstitial nephritis
  • hepatitis
  • indigestion
  • dizziness
  • bleeding and haemorrhage
  • puffiness
  • increased heart rate.

In the USA, about 100,000 people are hospitalized in hospitals every year as a result of bleeding or rupture of gastric ulcers caused by regular consumption of large doses of aspirin, and almost one-fifth die.

Acetylsalicylic acid is absolutely not recommended for children under the age of 12, because it can cause the dangerous Rey's syndrome (serious neurological disorders).

Aspirin will not help, for example, with cramp pains, i.e. in the case of menstrual problems. It can even make the bleeding worse.

Other contraindications:

  • hypersensitivity to salicylates
  • renal or hepatic dysfunction
  • asthma attacks
  • pregnancy and breastfeeding
  • hemorrhagic diathesis.
The history of aspirin

Aspirin has been known for years. The analgesic properties of willow bark (cortex salx) were already appreciated by Hippocrates and medieval herbalists. Over time, this raw material has become very valuable to the light industry and its use for medicinal purposes has been abandoned for centuries. The triumphant return of willow juice to the bosom of pharmacology provoked Napoleon. When the import of quinine, the most popular antipyretic at that time, ceased during his maritime blockade of Europe, willow bark was remembered. Extraction on a larger scale of its active ingredient, salicylic acid, began in 1874, but was not used willingly due to its bad taste and irritating effect on mucous membranes.However, when in 1899 Felix Hoffmann obtained a stable and pure derivative of salicylic acid, i.e. acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), the German company Bayer patented it under the name aspirin.

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