Aspirin--relieved asthma

Med Hypotheses. 1990 Jun;32(2):125-8. doi: 10.1016/0306-9877(90)90035-d.

Abstract

It is widely known that there might occur three different responses to the administration of ASA or NSAID to patients with bronchial asthma-bronchoconstriction, bronchodilatation or lack of bronchopulmonary action. Nevertheless, the beneficial effect of SAID has been confirmed in patients who are both nonallergic and cortico-dependent asthmatics. Our hypothesis is that in these specific cases the arachidonic acid metabolism is diverted towards cyclo-oxygenase products and that this metabolic diversion leads to an increased production of bronchoconstriction prostaglandins. The administration of NSAID inhibits the cyclo-oxygenase suppressing the enhanced basal production of these bronchoconstrictors and relieving the bronchospasm. The suspected abnormality in arachidonic acid metabolism would be restricted to the respiratory system.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Arachidonic Acid
  • Arachidonic Acids / metabolism
  • Aspirin / therapeutic use*
  • Asthma / drug therapy*
  • Asthma / metabolism
  • Drug Tolerance
  • Humans
  • Models, Biological
  • Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / metabolism
  • Prostaglandins / metabolism

Substances

  • Arachidonic Acids
  • Prostaglandins
  • Arachidonic Acid
  • Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases
  • Aspirin