The Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Activity of Aspirin in Septic Animal Models

Sepsis is a systemic body reaction to invasive microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi. Furthermore, it is one of the top ten main causes of death among all patients admitted to the hospital. Multiple potential drug therapies have been investigated in this area; however, an effective pharmacotherapy for sepsis remains undiscovered. Therefore, we explored the effect of Aspirin or Acetylsalicylic Acid (ASA) on the treatment outcomes and reduction of sepsis complications concerning the parameters involved in the oxidative damage of liver tissue. To perform an in vivo experiment, an experimental inflammatory model Cecal Ligation and Puncture (CLP) was performed in rats.

The investigated rats were divided into 4 groups (n=40), as follows: 1. Controls; 2. Laparotomy (LAP) group; 3. CLP group; and 4. The treatment group with aspirin 2 mg/kg bw for 48 h after CLP induction. Then, the explored rats were anesthetized and blood samples were collected from their hearts. Next, the animals were sacrificed and the liver tissue was separated for histopathologic and biochemical studies.

The obtained data suggested that the treatment of animals with aspirin was effective in adjusting the antioxidant and inflammatory parameters. Pathological studies also indicated that sepsis led to injuries in the liver tissues, which could be improved by interventions.

In conclusion, sepsis caused oxidative damage in the liver tissue, and using aspirin was effective in preventing and improving these injuries.