The Beneficial Biological Properties of Salicylic Acid

Summary Salicylic acid is a phytochemical with beneficial effects on human well-being. Salicylic acid is a phenolic compound and is present in various plants where it has a vital role in protection against pathogenic agents. Natural sources include fruits, vegetables and spices. The most famous and defined effect of salicylic acid is prostaglandin synthesis inhibition. Salicylic acid has antiinflammatory effects through suppression of transcription of genes for cyclooxygenase. Most of the pharmacological properties of salicylic acid can be contributed to the inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis. Also, it was discovered that salicylic acid has other in vivo cyclooxygenase-independent pathways. Since salicylic acid does not inhibit cyclooxygenase considerably, the anti-inflammatory effect is not a consequence of direct inhibition of cyclooxygenase activity. Because of its fundamental role, it was suggested that inhibition of nuclear factor kappa B by salicylic acid is one of the key anti-inflammatory mechanisms of action for salicylates. One of the most studied properties of salicylic acid is its antioxidative activity. Salicylic acid is a confirmed inhibitor of oxidative stress. Salicylic acid is capable of binding iron. This fact is significant for antioxidative effect of salicylic acid because iron has an important function in the course of lipid peroxidation. Sažetak Salicilna kiselina je fitohemikalija sa povoljnim efektima na ljudsko zdravlje. Salicilna kiselina je fenolna komponenta i prisutna je u različitim biljkama, gde ima važnu ulogu u zaštiti od patogenih agenasa. U prirodi se nalazi u voću, povrću i začinima. Najpoznatiji i najbolje proučen efekat salicilne kiseline je inhibicija sinteze prostanglandina. Salicilna kiselina ostvaruje anti-zapaljensko dejstvo preko supresije gena za ciklooksigenazu. Većina farmakoloških svojstava salicilne kiseline mogu se objasniti inhibicijom sinteze prostanglandina. Otkriveno je da salicilna kiselina pored ovog ima i druga in vivo dejstva. Pošto salicilna kiselina ne inhibira značajno ciklooksigenazu, anti-zapaljensko dejstvo nije posledica direktne inhibicije ovog enzima. Predloženo je da je inhibicija nuklearnog faktora kapa B od strane salicilata jedno od glavnih mehanizama anti-zapaljenskog dejstva salicilata. Jedno od najviše proučavanih svojstava salicilne kiseline je antioksidativna aktivnost. Salicilna kiselina je dokazani inhibitor oksidativnog stresa. Salicilna kiselina ima sposobnost vezivanja gvožđa. Ova činjenica je značajna za antioksidativno dejstvo salicilne kiseline zbog toga što gvožđe ima važnu ulogu u procesu lipidne peroksidacije.