The prophylactic anti-aging effect of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) on oxidative stress-induced damage in the buccal mucosa of D-galactose-induced aged rats

Most living organisms experience time-dependent functional deterioration as they age. To combat aging, aspirin was proposed as an already well-studied drug. However, its antiaging effect is neither well studied nor understood. So, this study intended to assess the proposed antiaging effect of aspirin. Three groups of seven adult male albino rats were established. The control group received saline, the aging model group got a daily single D-galactose subcutaneous injection (300 mg/kg), and the aspirin group consisted of D-galactose-induced aged rats that received a daily aspirin oral dose (60 mg/kg). Drugs were given for 8 weeks. Then, malondialdehyde (MDA) blood level was evaluated, and rats were euthanized. Buccal mucosa samples were obtained for inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene expression, histopathological, ultrastructural, and comet analyses. MDA blood level, iNOS gene expression and DNA damage examined by comet assay displayed a significant reduction in the aspirin group when compared to the aging model group. Histopathological and ultrastructural results showed that aspirin ameliorated most of the degenerative signs caused by D-galactose. Thus, it was deduced that aspirin had promising results as an antiaging pharmaceutical agent. However, more studies are needed regarding its translation to human trials.