We all know about aspirin and its ability to reduce pain, fever and inflammation. Now comes research from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., suggesting that salicylic acid (a component of aspirin) could help fight against a number of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntingdon’s diseases.
While aspirin is one of the first drugs to come into common usage, it’s still one of the most researched drugs in the world. Dr. S. James Shafer, a Vero Beach neurologist, says, “It’s well known that aspirin has diverse biological functions. That’s one reason why these types of studies are ongoing. The Cornell study is interesting, because it focuses on yet another possible benefit of aspirin, but the research is at an early stage.”
The researchers, including senior study author Daniel Klessig, found that one of the elements in salicylic acid binds to GAPDH, an enzyme used, to good effect, in glucose metabolism. But GAPDH is the bad guy when a neurodegenerative condition exists because it invades the nucleus of neurons and causes the accumulation of protein, which can lead to cell damage and death. The binding by the salicylic acid prevents this invasion.
Aspirin’s history dates back to 400 BC, when the Greek physician Hippocrates recommended a tea made from the barks and leaves of willow trees to relieve pain and reduce fever. In the early 1800s, scientists discovered the reason Hippocrates’ brew worked: a naturally occurring compound in willow trees they named salicylic acid; it is the critical hormone for regulating the immune system in plants.
Salicylic acid by itself was of no use; when ingested it caused severe stomach pain and mouth irritation. In 1832, a French chemist named Charles Gergardt mixed other chemicals with the salicylic acid, producing promising results for human use; but it was difficult and time-consuming to produce, and he set his research aside.
Sixty-five years later, in 1897, German chemist Felix Hoffmann used Gergardt’s research to create acetylsalicylic acid, now known as aspirin; it was patented in the United States in 1900. Americans take about 80 million aspirin tablets daily; in addition to its originally-envisioned purposes, aspirin is now taken to mitigate the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Dr. Klessig and his colleagues also found that two derivatives of salicylic acid bind even more tightly to GAPDH, more effectively preventing the movement GAPDH into the nucleus; one comes from licorice, the other is synthesized in the laboratory. In previous research, Klessig’s group identified another “target” of salicylic acid called HMGB1, an inflammation-causing protein associated with several diseases, including arthritis, lupus, atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and certain cancers.
Other substances besides aspirin are also being studied as treatment options for neurodegenerative disorders. Dr. Shafer told us about a hot-off-the-press study out of the University of Florida which focused on the mechanics of how dopamine moves into and out of brain cells. The study was published Jan. 26 in the on-line journal Nature Communications.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter produced by the brain; among other roles, it is critical to the proper functioning of the central nervous system. Too little dopamine can lead to Parkinson’s disease, a disorder that causes shaking and problems with movement and coordination. The hope is the findings could one day lead to more effective treatment of Parkinson’s and other neurological disorders.
Dr. Shafer spoke of hope as well, saying, “Neurodegenerative diseases are complex. They don’t have just one mechanism. Studies like the ones at Cornell and the University of Florida bring hope. But our ultimate hope is to put all the pieces together to find medical therapies that most effectively minimize the effects of these diseases.”
Dr. Shafer’s practice is part of Vero Orthopaedics and Vero Neurology, 1155 35th Lane, #100; 772-569-7039.
