The pleiotropic functions of aspirin: mechanisms of action

Recent studies have suggested that aspirin and aspirin-like compounds have a variety of actions in addition to their well-studied ability to inhibit c yclooxygenases. These actions include inhibition of the uncoupling of oxida tive phosphorylation, decreases in adenosine triphosphate stores, increases in extracellular adenosine, downregulation of the expression and activity of inducible nitric oxide synthetase, inhibition and/or stimulation of vari ous mitogen-activated protein kinase activities and inhibition of nuclear f actor binding kappa B site (NF-kappa B) activation. Moreover, aspirin-like compounds have recently been shown to have previously unappreciated clinica l and biological effects, some apparently independent of cyclooxygenase. In this review we discuss the various mechanisms of action of aspirin-like co mpounds and their relevance to clinical disease and therapy.