2 replies to this topic

[eon]

There have been recent news about aspirin as possible treatment or cure for cancer. Perhaps for prevention? I know its benefits for the heart especially at low dose. I don't have cancer but just curious about the whole news about its possible benefits I've been hearing about. I understand aspirin was founded in willow bark tree, right? But aspirin aren't made from it these days. If willow bark are sold as supplements or teas, would that be just as beneficial as aspirin therapy? Anyone here on such therapy or "cycle"? At what dose and what length? 

[Darryl]

This review covers some of your questions:

 

Thun, M. J., Jacobs, E. J., & Patrono, C. (2012). The role of aspirin in cancer prevention. Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology, 9(5), 259-267.

 

Willow bark is far less effective as a COX inhibitor that either pure salicylate or the irreversible inhibitor aspirin, and most of the focus in the aspirin and cancer chemoprevention field is on its anti-inflammatory effects via COX inhibition. Another side to the salicylates not covered in that review and worth investigating is their role in activating AMP kinase as a caloric restricton mimetics, which has also been investigated in cancer treatment.

 

Steinberg, G. R., Dandapani, M., & Hardie, D. G. (2013). AMPK: mediating the metabolic effects of salicylate-based drugs?. Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism, 24(10), 481-487.

Chen, S., Zhu, X., Lai, X., Xiao, T., Wen, A., & Zhang, J. (2014). Combined Cancer Therapy with Non-Conventional Drugs: All Roads Lead to AMPK. Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry.

 

Personally, I was spooked by fast blood draws during bimonthly donation and switched from ~ 1 g aspirin to 81 mg aspirin + ~1 g magnesium salicylate, an OTC backache medication.

[eon]

what's your reason for the bi monthly blood draws? Just for donation? I thought there was a certain rule how much and how often you can give. I'd like to donate blood.