Pharmacology of aspirin.

Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) is the best-known salicylate and belongs to the non steroid anti-inflammatory drug class. Despite wide use being made s ince more than 100 years, knowledge about mechanism of action and therapeut ic issues continually evolves. The main mechanism of action is prostaglandin synthesis inhibition. This is achieved through inhibition of prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase (PGHS) or cyclooxygenase (COX) synthesis. Most of the therapeutic uses of aspirin are explained by this mechanism. Nevertheless aspirin uses change as time g oes by : if the main one during the first fifty years was an analgesic, ant i-pyretic and anti-inflammatory one, the last fifty years saw aspirin beein g used mainly as an anti-thrombotic agent, in primary and secondary thrombo -embolic prevention. Better knowledge of mechanism of action points today a t, on one hand, more selective and therefore better tolerated molecules, an d, on the other hand. at new therapeutic applications such as anti-cancer a nd neurodegenerative diseases prevention. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques e t medicales Elsevier SAS.