Aspirin, part 1 of 3

Aspirin, part 1 of 3

Aspirin is a drug that is used for fever, pain or as a blood-thinning medicine (an antiplatelet preparation). Inside the bodies of animals there are 3 different blood cells and these are red and white blood cells, as well as platelets. These are in the plasma and the latter's task is to make the blood able to coagulate during the processes of hemostasis (blood distillation after a cut). Aspirin (an anticoagulant) does that platelets do not clump as much. Aspirin's chemical formula is C9H8O4, and this is manufactured as so: C6H4(OH)COOH (salicylic acid) + (CH3CO)2O (acetic anhydride, thanks to a dehumidification of acetic acid) ---> C9H8O4 (acetylsalicylic acid) + CH3COOH (Acetic acid), not forgetting phosphoric acid which was the catalyst. The latter acid, H3PO4, has three -OH groups, and they are all responsible for this medium-strong acid donating protons to the environment. Phosphoric acid is added in e.g. Cola Cola for a tasty sourness, as well as for preservation.

Sulfuric acid, H2SO4, is another common catalyst. This is highly corrosive, has two -OH groups, and there are two O atoms that double bind to the sulfur, S, atom. The double bonds make it easy to react with electrophiles (who want to bind covalently with another substance by taking up its electrons). Aspirin itself has 2 functional groups, an alcohol group (-OH) and a carboxyl group (-COOH, which is a hydroxyl group, -OH, and a carbonyl group where C and O double binds). A functional group is a group of atoms that are attached to the molecule (often a small hydrogen, H, is exchanged for a whole functional group), and affects the characteristics of the entire molecule. The hydrogen of carboxyl groups is usually the atom that lets go of the oxygen, and then reacts with bases and metals. In the case of alcohols, these affect the stickiness of the platelets, so that the blood cannot become thick. There is too little prostaglandins made inside the platelets, and that substance is needed for proper clotting.

This medication works just like a regular NSAID drug, and aspirin is therefore a non-steroidal and anti-inflammatory drug. Steroids are a fatty acid class, one kind of a lipid, although this group in question has three cyclohexanes (ring with 6 carbons) and one cyclopentane (ring with 5 carbons) as a base. Different steroids have different functional groups sitting on. Fatty acids do not have a positive and a negative end, and these are satisfied with their bonds between the carbons and hydrogens, and they do not dissolve in water. The same principle applies to steroid drugs. A distinctive feature of these medicines is that they inhibit the enzyme phospholipase A2 in order to suppress inflammation. An example of a steroid medication is cortisone, C21H28O5 (3 hexagons (ring structure), and 1 pentagon (a ring) exists, as expected). Aspirin and nonsteroidal medications usually target various COX (cyclooxygenase) enzymes to manage, so that prostaglandins are not produced. It is important not to use aspirin unnecessarily.

Dinoproston, C20H32O5 (PGE2), is a prostaglandin with oxytocian properties, so a synthesis of such also happens in us. Not all prostaglandins hurt! In addition, prostaglandins do not remain in the body for a long time, but they break down quite quickly. In addition to the fact that in the worst case you can get viscera bleed from nowhere, or permanently damage the kidneys etc. with an overdose of aspirin, you can also develop Reye's syndrome (usually applies to children). This involves a swelling in the brain and in the liver, and one has seen that blood sugar in children drops and ammonia, NH3, levels, as well as acidity increases. Nitrogen monoxide, NO, and ammonia provide acidification in nature (for comparison's sake): 4 NH3 + 5 O2 ---> 4 NO + 6 H2O. You need medication very quickly in Reye's syndrome. Something else about the structure of aspirin is that if the drug is combined with a methotrexate (Folic acid antagonist/counterworker, with 3 cyclohexanes and 2 -COOH groups, etc.), a cytostat, then hematological toxicity (disease of the blood) increases.



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