Investigating the Effect of Aspirin on Mercury Toxicity

The effect of aspirin on the toxicology of mercury was investigated by using fish. The variations between blood parameters of the fish, which were made exposed directly to mercury solutions prepared at certain concentrations (500？μg/L, 250？μg/L, 125？μg/L, 62.5？μg/L, and 31.25？μg/L), and blood parameters of the fish, which were made exposed to mercury at the same concentrations after they had been interacting with aspirin, were investigated. At the end of the study, increases in blood parameters were observed depending on the increases in mercury concentration. Statistically significant variations were observed in blood parameters of the fish, which were made exposed to mercury at the same concentrations after they had been interacting with aspirin, compared to blood parameters of the fish, which were made exposed directly to mercury ( ). It was found that aspirin has caused significant increases in especially the levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotranspherase and significant decreases in cortisol and glucose levels among to blood parameters. It was concluded that aspirin alters the toxic effect of mercury. 1. Introduction Aspirin is the popular name of a salicylate ester of acetic acid. Aspirin (acetyl salicylic acid) is an anti-inflammatory medicine, which has been in the use prevalently since 1899 for rheumatic diseases because it is very effective and inexpensive. Aspirin affects antioxidant system by shifting the equilibrium between oxidants and antioxidants in favor of oxidants causing hepatic and renal damages [1]. Although many nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) have been added to the treatment in the recent 30 years, aspirin indisputably keeps its position during treatment of rheumatic diseases like RA and Kawasaki and new areas in which it can be used like antiphospholipid antibody syndrome and Alzheimer have emerged. Aspirin is absorbed rapidly after it is dissolved and hydrolyzed in the liver, and it can be seen in plasma after 10–20 minutes. Serum reaches the peak value in two hours. Aspirin is hydrolyzed into salicylic acid by nonspecific esterases in liver and bound to salicylate serum proteins, especially albumin. Cytoplasmic enzyme (LDH) released due to salicylates without depending on dose has an effect on hepatotoxicity [2]. Many plant and animal species act as a bioindicator to observe many pollutants in the ecosystem surrounding us [3–8]. It is becoming more important day by day to predict and describe the hidden and harmful effects, which come into sight when that fish is exposed to low toxic