ethanol + aspirin

Ethanol + aspirin is a non-standard combination of two widely used substances—ethanol (alcohol) and aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid). Aspirin is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that works by irreversibly inhibiting cyclooxygenase enzymes (COX-1 and COX-2), leading to reduced synthesis of prostaglandins and thromboxanes, which mediate pain, inflammation, fever, and platelet aggregation[7][2]. Ethanol is a central nervous system depressant with multiple mechanisms of action including potentiation of GABA-A receptor activity and inhibition of NMDA receptors. The co-administration or concurrent use of ethanol with aspirin is not recommended due to increased risk for gastrointestinal irritation, ulcers, bleeding, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, or stomach upset[5][4][1]. Ethanol can enhance the absorption of aspirin from the gastrointestinal tract but does not affect its metabolism; this may increase plasma concentrations of salicylic acid—the active metabolite—and exacerbate acute toxicity[6]. There are no approved pharmaceutical products combining these two agents.

Other names

ethanol and aspirinalcohol and acetylsalicylic acid