09/26/2015
How does Aspirin work its miracles?
A recent study led by researchers at the Cornell University-affiliated Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) in collaboration with colleagues at Rutgers and Italyâs San Raffaele University and Research Institute, shows that aspirinâs main breakdown product, salicylic acid, blocks the protein, HMGB1, which could explain many of the drugâs therapeutic properties.
The findings appear Sept. 23, 2015, in the journal Molecular Medicine.
âWeâve identified what we believe is a key target of aspirinâs active form in the body, salicylic acid, which is responsible for some of the many therapeutic effects that aspirin has,â said senior author Daniel Klessig, a professor at BTI and Cornell University. âThe protein, HMGB1, is associated with many prevalent, devastating diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, sepsis and inflammation-associated cancers, such as colorectal cancer and mesothelioma,â he said.