NEUROPROTECTION BY ASPIRIN AND SODIUM-SALICYLATE THROUGH BLOCKADE OF NF-KAPPA-B ACTIVATION

Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) is a commonly prescribed drug with a wi de pharmacological spectrum. At concentrations compatible with amounts in plasma during chronic antiinflammatory therapy, acetylsalicylic ac id and its metabolite sodium salicylate were found to be protective ag ainst neurotoxicity elicited by the excitatory amino acid glutamate in rat primary neuronal cultures and hippocampal slices. The site of act ion of the drugs appeared to be downstream of glutamate receptors and to involve specific inhibition of glutamate-mediated induction of nucl ear factor kappa B. These results may contribute to the emerging theme of anti-inflammatory drugs and neurodegeneration.