Aspirin eugenol ester inhibits agonist-induced platelet aggregation in vitro by regulating PI3K/Akt, MAPK and Sirt 1/CD40L pathways.

Aspirin eugenol ester (AEE) was a promising drug candidate for treating inflammation, pain and fever and preventing cardiovascular diseases with fewer side effects than its precursors. Previous researches indicated that AEE could markedly inhibit agonist-induced platelet aggregation in vitro and ex vivo, however, the anti-platelet aggregation mechanisms of AEE remain to be defined. Here, AEE in vitro effects on agonist-induced granule-secretion, intercellular Ca2+ mobilization and thromboxane A2 (TXA2) generation were examined. Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), Akt, Sirt 1 and CD40L expressions were also studied. In agonist-activated platelets in vitro, AEE markedly attenuated granule secretion markers (P-selectin expression and ATP release), intercellular Ca2+ mobilization and thromboxane B2 (TXB2) formation. AEE also attenuated CD40L activation, suppressed extracellular-signal-regulated protein kinase 2 (ERK2), c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1 (JNK1) and Akt phosphorylation, and recovered Sirt1 expression, but the activation of p38, VASPSer157 and VASPSer239, and the levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) were not affected by AEE. Overall, this study demonstrates that AEE inhibits agonist-induced platelet aggregation in vitro by regulating PI3K/Akt, MAPK and Sirt 1/CD40L pathways.

Evaluation on antithrombotic effect of aspirin eugenol ester from the view of platelet aggregation, hemorheology, TXB2/6-keto-PGF1α and blood biochemistry in rat model.

BACKGROUND: Based on the prodrug principle, aspirin and eugenol, as starting precursors, were esterified to synthesize aspirin eugenol ester (AEE). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antithrombotic effect of AEE in an animal disease model. In order to compare the therapeutic effects of AEE and its precursors, aspirin, eugenol and a combination of aspirin and eugenol were designed at the same molar quantities as the AEE medium dose in the control group. METHODS: After oral administration of AEE (dosed at 18, 36 and 72 mg/kg) for seven days, rats were treated with k-carrageenan to induce tail thrombosis. Following the same method, aspirin (20 mg/kg), eugenol (18 mg/kg) and 0.5 % CMC-Na (30 mg/kg) were administered as control drug. Different drug effects on platelet aggregation, hemorheology, TXB2/6-keto-PGF1α ratio and blood biochemistry were studied. RESULTS: AEE significantly inhibited ADP and AA-induced platelet aggregation in vivo. AEE also significantly reduced blood and plasma viscosity. Moreover, AEE down-regulated TXB2 and up-regulated 6-keto-PGF1α, normalizing the TXB2/6-keto-PGF1α ratio and blood biochemical profile. In comparison with aspirin and eugenol, AEE produced more positive therapeutic effects than its precursors under the same molar quantity. CONCLUSION: It may be concluded that AEE was a good candidate for new antithrombotic and antiplatelet medicine. Additionally, this study may help to understand how AEE works on antithrombosis in different ways.