New research suggests aspirin may actually protect the liver, as well as the heart.

[portann]

Very interesting and surprising read below, although aspirin remain contraindicated DURING treatment because of low platelet issues:


New research suggests aspirin may actually protect the liver, as well as the heart.
Aspirin now touted as your liver's friend
January 27, 2009

Joseph Hall
HEALTH REPORTER


Aspirin is at it again. And this time it is the liver's turn to benefit.

A staple in millions of medicine cabinets, the multi-tasking tablet is already used to prevent or alleviate arthritic inflammation, heart attacks, stroke, male urinary problems and several types of cancer – not to mention headaches and other common pain.

According to a Yale University study, you can likely add liver protection from drugs, alcohol and other blood-borne toxins to the seemingly endless list of medical benefits acetylsalicylic acid can claim.

"It just keeps getting better and better," lead study author Dr. Wajahat Mehal says of the pill's medicinal prowess. "It has all these (good) effects on our body that we are discovering." The paper appeared yesterday in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Mehal's team found Aspirin's anti-inflammatory properties appear to be especially potent on the liver and may well help protect the blood-cleansing organ from the damaging effects of everything from drug overdoses to binge drinking. Like banging your thumb with a hammer, injuries to the liver from blood-borne toxins are followed by an inflammatory response in the organ, says Mehal, an associate professor in medicine at the New Haven school.

"The inflammation prolongs the injury to the liver and it amplifies it," he says. "What the Aspirin is doing is switching off the inflammation and decreasing the overall injury." Mehal says the liver is especially susceptible to such injuries – and thus to the benefits of Aspirin – because it is so easily inflamed.

"The liver is really on a hair's trigger," he says. "I don't expect that Aspirin is going to help with injury to every organ ... but any injury to the liver you get a very strong inflammatory response."

In the study, researchers examined mice that had been given overdoses of acetaminophen, most commonly sold as Tylenol and in cold elixirs. Mehal says such medications are by far the leading source of drug overdoses in the developed world and the leading cause of liver failure. And while safe in recommended dosages, acetaminophen can easily accumulate in the body with the unwitting use of several medications at once.

Ironically, its rival in the pain relief market – ASA – can apparently come to the rescue.

Mehal says the anti-inflammatory benefits of Aspirin seen in the Tylenol case would also apply to alcohol and other liver-harming agents.

Aspirin may also allow people whose livers are harmed by such drugs as cholesterol-fighting statins and AIDS-abating anti-retrovirals to keep taking those life-saving medications. While the study needs to be brought to the human level, Aspirin's ubiquitous use will make that research easy and short-term, Mehal says.

[Marc1955]

It's good you posted this so everyone can be aware of it. To me, however, this is typical of the state of science reporting in our country. This is a single study. As such, it has no scientific validity until its results are verified by a second independent study. But do reporters care? No they do not. This is one reason why everyone goes running off taking one herbal then the next week takes another. Broccoli, red wine, soy . . . there's no end.

As J already points out, it's a study on mice. I don't know why it was even reported except the reporter was looking for a story (or perhaps the aspirin manufacturers put out a press release.)

[CoWriter]

CS was thinking about taking it before tx to lower viral load....

"Acetylsalicylic Acid Inhibits Hepatitis C RNA and Protein Expression Through Cyclooxygenase 2 Signal Pathways."

http://docs.google.com/gview?a=v&attid=0.1&thid=11ecb46cf44fc88c&mt=application%2Fpdf&pli=1

[portann]

Yes, aspirin should be out of the question during treatment due to bleeding dangers caused by low platelets. It's always worth repeating because some members have mentioned otherwise.

I think it's interesting to learn that AFTER SVR, aspirin may be beneficial and something to consider, rats or not.  One big implication is that it may protect from statins, something increasingly prescribed.

I don't know how non-treating people with chronic HCV people fit into this.

[Willy50]

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/552736

There was some evidence that aspirin may serve in some mild antiviral activity.  It's being investigated- I make no claims.  ; )  I post this since often I'm more likely to be fearful of harmful effects.  I'd be careful not to over-amp on aspirin since it can be hard on the stomach.  I think one only needs about a halp aspirin per day for blood thinning.

I include the link since it also has some additional information in it about aspirin.

I took small amounts of aspirin a day to serve as a mild blood thinner.  I ran and I was concerned that I could have heart issues if I was really pushing my pace.  When I was DX'ed I stopped since I thought that I understood nsaids were a no-no.

I'm now starting to wonder whether I should return to my half pill dosing.

Thanks,
Willy

[jmjm530]

it's important to repeat that aspirin should NOT be taken DURING treatment for pain, or any other reason, unless specifically prescribed by liver specialist (hepatologist) although none of the liver specialists I've spoken to would prescribe aspirin. Their choice is Tylenol because of the platelet issue, which also may speak against aspirin for those with serious liver damage who are not treating. But again, speak to a liver specialist in that regard. By the way, this aspirin study was done on rats livers. "Honey, I'd love to but I really have a headache tonight. Can we just eat some cheese instead?"