ET ISSUE 2225 Thursday 28 June 2001

Aspirin clue to benefit of fruit
By Celia Hall, Medical Editor

AN active ingredient of aspirin may explain why people who eat plenty of fruit and vegetables are less prone to heart disease and some forms of cancer.

Salicylic acid, the main anti-inflammatory component of aspirin, which is also present in fruit and vegetables, is the subject of a study at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, in Scotland. The study, led by Dr John Paterson, a chemical pathologist, has found the level of acid in the blood of vegetarians is 12 times higher than in a normal diet group.

Dr Paterson says in the Journal of Clinical Pathology that the benefits from aspirin, and those from fruit and vegetables, are likely to be based on the anti-inflammatory properties of salicylic acid, which reduces the hardening and narrowing of arteries.

Even at the low levels found, the researchers say the acid may inhibit the enzymes that promote inflammation. Dr Paterson said excessive intake of aspirin brought a risk of stomach bleeding, and people should be encouraged to eat fruit and vegetables. Last week, a conference in France was told a diet rich in fruit and vegetables could dramatically cut the risk of throat cancers.

-- Anonymous, June 27, 2001