salicylate

Salicylate is the unacetylated form of aspirin. It functions as a direct activator of AMP-activated protein kinase (Ampk) β1, a highly conserved serine/threonine kinase that plays a crucial role in regulating lipid and energy metabolism. Through this activation, salicylate improves macrophage cholesterol homeostasis by decreasing the synthesis of fatty acids and sterols, reducing cholesterol content (foam cell formation), and enhancing cholesterol efflux to HDL and apoA-I. It also increases the gene expression of ATP binding cassette transporters, Abcg1 and Abca1. Salicylate has demonstrated therapeutic potential for reducing foam cell formation in the early stages of atherosclerosis. Furthermore, it is a component of the Ideal BioStent, a bioabsorbable cardiology stent, where it is co-eluted with sirolimus for applications in interventional cardiology.

Other names

unacetylated form of aspirin