Comparison of Aspirin and Copper Aspirinate with Respect to Gastric Mucosal Damage in the Rat

□ The copper salt of aspirin has been compared with aspirin in terms of damage to mucosal tissue. Using a protein-bound dye to highlight erosions, it has been found that copper aspirinate is at least as damaging as aspirin itself. This finding is not in agreement with previously published claims. Copper aspirinate produced more widespread superficial erosions and slightly less deep erosions than aspirin alone. Mixtures of the copper(II) ion and aspirin produced results similar to copper aspirinate, suggesting that the hydrolysis products of copper aspirinate, copper(II) ion and aspirin, together may be especially damaging to the mucosa. Copper alone was not damaging, but aspirin alone yielded intermediate results. Short incubation times produced only erosions (no ulcers), which were clearly differentiated into two classes by depth of color. Histological examination verified this classification into superficial and deep erosions.