Dietary salicylates

Is there a role for dietary salicylates in health?

Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin; 2-acetoxybenzoic acid) has been used for >100 years for pain relief and to treat inflammatory conditions and fevers. More recently, regular intake has been associated with decreased incidence of certain cancers, particularly colon cancer. After absorption aspirin is very rapidly hydrolysed to salicylic acid (2-hydroxybenzoic acid). The anti-cancer effects of aspir...

39: Salicylates

The Ancient Egyptians recognized the pain-relieving effects of concoctions made from myrtle and willow leaves. Hippocrates may have been among the first to use willow bark and leaves from the Salix species to relieve fever, but it was not until 1829 that the glycoside salicin was extracted from the willow bark and used as an antipyretic. Seven years later, salicylic acid was isolated, and by th...

Circulatory effects of salicylates.

Sodinin salieylate consistently produces a prompt increase in heart contractile force when injected in anesthetized dogs in doses of 100 mg./Kg. intravenously. The increase in force is about 30 per cent and declines to control levels in 15 to 20 niin. This effect is not considered of important therapeutic significance. Total doses of about 400 mg./Kg. consistently produce marked hyperpyrexia wh...

Reye syndrome and salicylates.

This year in the United States there has been considerable controversy about circumstantial evidence linking salicylates to the pathogenesis of Reye syndrome and, in particular, whether that evidence is sufficiently strong to justify action. After careful review both the Federal government and the American Academy of Pediatrics have warned physicians and parents of the possible risk of Reye syn...

Salicylates and carbohydrate metabolism.