PILOT TRIAL OF THE EFFECTS OF LOW-DOSE ACETYLSALICYLIC-ACID ON PLATELET THROMBOXANE B-2 PRODUCTION

Objective: It has been suggested that certain foods of plant origin contain milligram-quantities of acetylsalicylate which could exert an anti-thrombotic effect. Acetylsalicylic acid prevents cardiovascular diseases through inhibition of platelet endoperoxide thromboxane production and platelet aggregation. We investigated whether a daily intake of 3 mg acetylsalicylic acid causes a measurable decrease of platelet cyclo-oxygenase activity assessed by in vitro thromboxane B-2 production. Design: We carried out a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study. Subjects: Ten healthy volunteers (5 men, 5 women) aged 22 +/- 3 years (mean +/-: s.d.) participated in the study; there were no drop-outs. Interventions: Participants took 3 mg/d of acetylsalicylic acid or a placebo for 2 weeks each. At the end of each treatment period venous blood was drawn, and platelet-rich plasma was stimulated with arachidonic acid. Results: Treatment with acetylsalicylic acid caused a 39 +/- 8% decrease in maximal thromboxane B-2 production (P = 0.000), which was independent of treatment order. Conclusions: Quantitative data on acetylsalicylate in foods and the possible antithrombotic action of a diet rich in acetylsalicylate deserve closer investigation.