Salicylic acid is chemically synthesised into aspirin, which is then acetylated with acetic anhydride. Aspirin has a molecular weight of 180.16g/mol. It’s colourless to white crystals or crystalline powder with no odour. Aspirin is a fast-acting non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine (NSAID) that is absorbed quickly from the stomach and small intestine. It is a non-selective NSAID since it inhibits both cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes that convert arachidonic acid to prostaglandins and thromboxane-3 in an irreversible manner.
Prostaglandins are produced in the body to aid in the management of damage or illness. The sensitivity of pain receptors is increased by prostaglandins. They act locally at the site of synthesis as a control mechanism, limiting the amount of their activity. They are also swiftly degraded by the body. Enzymes are proteins that break down food.Aspirin’s impact of reducing inflammation and discomfort in afflicted tissues is mediated by this. Aspirin also works on prostaglandins in the hypothalamus to help reset and lower a high body temperature. Importantly, aspirin has no effect on the body’s usual temperature.
Chemical Reactivity of Aspirin With Hydrogen
- Aspirin also has a significant role in cardiovascular health: Thromboxane A2 (TXA2) is a lipid that promotes platelet aggregation by stimulating platelet production. Aspirin suppresses the synthesis of thromboxane A2 (TXA2) by preventing arachidonic acid from being converted to TXA2.
- This aspirin impact is achieved by platelet COX-1 inhibition, which prevents platelets from attaching to each other or plaques within the artery, lowering the likelihood of blood clot (thrombus) development in the bloodstream. Aspirin can help reduce the risk of future myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke in this way 1,3.
- Aspirin possesses analgesic (pain-relieving), anti-inflammatory (redness and swelling reduction), anti-platelet (blood clot reduction), and antipyretic (temperature decrease) effects 1,2,3.
- Aspirin is thought to have an effect on cancer.Because aspirin is a non-selective COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitor, it can cause peptic ulcers and gastrointestinal bleeding in addition to its therapeutic analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-platelet, and antipyretic properties. Taking aspirin and alcohol at the same time can cause gastric bleeding 1,3.
- Aspirin is converted to its active metabolite salicylate inside the body. This occurs primarily in the liver. About 1-2 hours after intake, the plasma concentration of salicylate reaches its peak. The kidneys are the primary means of excretion from the body.
What Is the Structure Of Aspirin?
- In solutions of ammonium acetate or the acetates, carbonates, citrates, or hydroxides of the alkali metals, aspirin decomposes fast. It is stable in dry air, but when exposed to moisture, it degrades into acetic and salicylic acids. The hydrolysis of acetate and salicylate occurs rapidly in alkali solutions, and the clear solutions generated may contain only acetate and salicylate.
- Because the powder-air mixture can be explosive, aspirin tablet producers, like flour mills, must limit the amount of powder that becomes airborne inside the structure. In the United States, the National Institute for Occupational
- Safety and Health (NIOSH) has set a recommended exposure limit of 5 mg/m3 (time-weighted average). The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) established an aspirin legal allowable exposure limit in 1989.
- Aspirin is manufactured through an esterification process. When salicylic acid is treated with acetic anhydride, an acid derivative, the hydroxyl group of the acid is converted to an ester group (R-OH R-OCOCH3). This reaction produces aspirin and acetic acid, which are considered byproducts.
- As a catalyst, small amounts of sulfuric acid (and, on rare occasions, phosphoric acid) are almost always utilized. In undergraduate teaching laboratories, this strategy is frequently presented.
Effects of Aspirin with Hydrogen
- People who are allergic to ibuprofen or naproxen, or who have salicylate intolerance or a more generalised drug sensitivity to NSAIDs, should avoid taking aspirin, and those with asthma or NSAID-precipitated bronchospasm should use care.
- Manufacturers advise patients with peptic ulcers, moderate diabetes, or gastritis to seek medical counsel before using aspirin because of its effect on the stomach . Even if none of these symptoms exist, combining aspirin with alcohol or warfarin increases the risk of stomach bleeding.
- Aspirin and other salicylates should not be taken by people who have haemophilia or other bleeding disorders. In persons with the hereditary condition glucose-6-phosphate.
- Dehydrogenase deficiency, aspirin can cause hemolytic anemia, especially in high dosages and depending on the severity of the disease.
Conclusion
Salicylic acid is chemically synthesised into aspirin, which is then acetylated with acetic anhydride. Aspirin is a fast-acting non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine that is absorbed quickly from the stomach and small intestine. Prostaglandins are produced in the body to aid in the management of damage or illness. Aspirin’s impact of reducing inflammation and discomfort in afflicted tissues is mediated by this. Aspirin also works on prostaglandins in the hypothalamus to help reset and lower a high body temperature. Aspirin also has a significant role in cardiovascular health: Thromboxane A2 is a lipid that promotes platelet aggregation by stimulating platelet production. This aspirin impact is achieved by platelet COX-1 inhibition, which prevents platelets from attaching to each other or plaques within the artery, lowering the likelihood of blood clot development in the bloodstream.