Acetylsalicylic acid and acetaminophen protect against oxidative neurotoxicity.

Due to the implication of oxidative stress in neurodegenerative disorders we decided to investigate the antioxidant properties of acetylsalicylic acid and acetaminophen either alone or in combination. The thiobarbituric acid assay (TBA) and the nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) assay were used to investigate quinolinic acid (QA)-induced: lipid peroxidation and superoxide anion generation in the rat hippocampus, in vivo. The study also shows, using cresyl violet staining, the preservation of structural integrity of neuronal cells following treatment with acetylsalicylic acid and acetaminophen in QA-lesioned rat hippocampus. Furthermore the study sought to determine whether these agents have any effect on endogenous (QA) formation. This study shows that acetylsalicylic acid and acetaminophen inhibit QA-induced superoxide anion generation, lipid peroxidation and cell damage, in vivo, in the rat hippocampus. In addition these agents inhibit the enzyme, 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid oxygenase (3-HAO), responsible for the synthesis of endogenous QA.