The use of salicylic acid (ASA) reduces the risk of developing Barrett’s esophagus, which is considered as the main factor affecting the occurrence of esophageal cancer. A study describing the dependence of the ASA use and the development of the Barrett’s esophagus was published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association.
Salicylic acid is a widespread pharmaceutical agent, used in the symptomatic treatment of infections and antithrombotic prevention. The universality of its application arises from the fact that in large doses it works as analgesic and has anti-inflammatory and antipyretic mechanism, and with long-term use it works as an anticoagulant. Salicylates occur naturally in many species of willow, but in different concentrations. There have been reports of attempts to grow new species of willow, which will have higher contents of salicylates in its bark. Salicylic glycosides located in the bark of willow have similar properties of salicylic acid and have a buffer compounds, which have no side effects on the digestive system. The advantages of successful growing of willow species and abstraction of natural salicylates is engaging for breeders and gives them profits, it is easy to maintain and control posts of willow, which has similar content and quality of the material. Salix purpurea, which has a particularly high content of salicylates, occurs widely in Poland. It is possible to conduct breeding of this species, after accurate molecular studies of the association of different willow genotypes with salicylates in its bark. What’s more, the genotypes are evaluated in terms of usefulness in the pharmaceutical industry.
Study conducted by scientists at the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute for Technology Assessment (USA) published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association, are surprising. The results of the tests after correlations analysis suggest that high doses of salicylic acid were significantly associated with a reduction in the risk of developing Barrett’s esophagus. Nevertheless, the researchers state that they do not recommend taking ASA, especially in high doses for prevention of Barrett’s esophagus only. If further testing confirmed the observed relationship, then a person with a high risk of developing Barrett’s esophagus, which is undergoing cardiovascular prevention at the same time, could consider taking ASA in high dose.
To draw the above conclusions, the team of scientists analysed data of 434 patients with Barrett’s esophagus, in regard to the factors affecting the occurrence of disease. Individuals using salicylic acid had at about 44% less risk of developing Barrett’s esophagus. Moreover, men were three times more likely to have this disease. Due to increasingly higher frequency of cases of esophageal cancer in the past few decades, a lot of attention is given to the identification of the risk factors, including a careful evaluation of the etiology and pathophysiology of the Barrett’s esophagus. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, especially salicylic acid were associated in the past with a reduced risk of esophageal cancer. However, the studies of scientist from Massachusetts linked the ASA chemoprevention with Barrett’s esophagus. Will salicylic acid be cure for everything?
Written by: Karolina Kłoda MD, PhD
Source:
1. Zehra B. Omer, Ashwin N. Ananthakrishnan, Kevin J. Nattinger, Elisabeth B. Cole, Jesse J. Lin, Chung Yin Kong, Chin Hur. Aspirin Protects Against Barrett’s Esophagus in a Multivariate Logistic Regression Analysis. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 2012; 10 (7): 722 DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2012.02.031
2. Aspirin protects against Barrett’s esophagus, study suggests. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 1, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2012/07/120723134638.htm
3. http://www.naukawpolsce.pl/aktualnosci/news,390926,wyciag-z-nowej-odmiany-wierzby-ma-zastapic-aspiryne.html
4. https://medtube.net/pathology/medical-videos/3711-barrett-esophagus-histopathology-esophagus
Would you like to know more? Watch on MEDtube.net: Barrett esophagus – histopathology