Aspirin May Prevent Gallbladder Stones

[haidut]

Some people on the forum have complained of potential gallbladder stones and/or inflammation. This study says aspirin may be of some help.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2114725

"...This article reviews our present knowledge concerning the so-called sludge, an echographic entity, which is formed by mucus and cholesterol microcrystals. Several physiological and pathological states are associated with gallbladder sludge. Experimental data suggest that sludge could precede gallstones and that aspirin could be used as a preventive agent against the appearance of gallbladder sludge and stones."

 

[chris]

Thanks for posting this haidut. Any ideas of the dosage of aspirin required to do this?

 

[haidut]

Thanks for posting this haidut. Any ideas of the dosage of aspirin required to do this?

Don't know, article is in French and not available for download. I think I saw a study on rats showing protection of liver and gallbladder by aspirin in human doses of <500mg daily.
Also, this human study shows positive effects from 350mg a day for 2 weeks.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7648980

 

[Tommix]

I think ALL acids in bladder helps for this, acetylsalicylic acid is no exception :)

 

[ecstatichamster]

very curious about whether taurine works this way too...

 

[Wagner83]

Effect of aspirin on gallbladder motility in patients with gallstone disease. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of two dosage sc... - PubMed - NCBI

Abstract
Patients with gallstone disease have impaired gallbladder motility. Prostaglandins are thought to be important mediators of gallbladder hypomotility. We assessed the effect of aspirin, a prostaglandin inhibitor on gallbladder resting volume and ejection fraction according to a double-blind study protocol in 20 healthy volunteers and 30 patients with gallstone disease. The higher dose of aspirin did not induce a greater increase in gallbladder emptying. It is concluded that impaired gallbladder motility in patients with gallstone disease is corrected by short-term oral aspirin even in low dosage. This may be clinically useful in secondary prophylaxis after nonsurgical therapy for gallstone disease.

Can aspirin prevent gallstone recurrence after successful extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy? - PubMed - NCBI

Abstract
Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) is a feasible procedure for the treatment of gallbladder stones in humans. Well-selected patients can achieve stone-free rates in a high percentage. With the gallbladder in situ, these patients are at risk of stone recurrence. There is considerable evidence that aspirin prevents cholesterol gallstone formation in animal models and may prevent gallstone recurrence in man. We attempted to clarify the risk of gallstone recurrence after successful piezoelectric lithotripsy in patients taking either low-dose aspirin or no medication. The first 45 patients shown to be completely free from stones after ESWL were randomized into two groups. One group received 100 mg aspirin daily; the other group did not receive any further medical therapy. Patients were further examined on an average of 19.6 months and 21.9 months, respectively. In the aspirin group the recurrence rate was 18.2%, whereas 21.7% of the patients in the control group developed recurrent stones. Seventy-eight per cent of these patients also had a recurrence of biliary pain. By life-table analysis we had, after a follow-up period of 24 months, a stone recurrence rate of 25% (+/- 11) in the aspirin group and 34% (+/- 14) in the control group. Our results indicate that recurrence prophylaxis remains one of the central questions in ESWL. In this preliminary study, 100 mg of aspirin daily was not able to reduce the recurrence rate after successful ESWL. Further studies will have to show whether higher doses of aspirin or other ways of preventing gallstone after ESWL are possible.

 

[michael94]

Effect of aspirin on gallbladder motility in patients with gallstone disease. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of two dosage sc... - PubMed - NCBI

Can aspirin prevent gallstone recurrence after successful extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy? - PubMed - NCBI

Yea there is other evidence to support this idea.... https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160419130320.htm

Bile duct cancer is simply an advanced stage of cholestasis ( the cancer is protective against the accumulation of toxins ). The symptoms of bile duct cancer are exactly the same as cholestasis/clogged bile ducts.

The disease occurs mostly in people over 50 and can cause symptoms, such as yellowing of the skin and eyes, intense itchiness of the skin, and white stools. Bile duct cancer is an aggressive type of cancer that progresses quickly and is difficult to treat.

When bile cannot flow properly you get jaundice, cholestatic pruritus ( itching ), pale st0ols... Not uncommon symptoms in those with chronic digestive issues.
Here is the reasoning provided for aspirin's beneficial effects.

We know that continuous unremitting inflammation is one of the main factors that promotes cancer of the bile ducts," Dr. Roberts says. "Aspirin, with it's an anti-inflammatory properties, may reduce the risk of bile duct cancer by lessening inflammation through inhibition of an enzyme called cyclo-oxygenase (COX), which is known to promote inflammation."

Interesting...well we know the mechanisms through which hepatic and gallbladder stones are formed. Cholesterol concentration begins to exceed the rate at which it can be kept soluble by bile salts, and lecithin/PUFA. So anything which disturbs bile salt production/recycling and/or lecithin/pufa concentrations will contribute to formation of these stones. Usually it is toxins, whether from exogenous or endogenous source. And yes that's right pufa is apparently important for lecithin to keep cholesterol's melting point below body temperature...What that means for ideal dietary intake remains a mystery to me. Clearly it is more complex than eat less or eat more. On a related note, here is an interesting case study: Enjoy Eating Eggs?

The specific effects of aspirin on bile solubility should be studied and explained in more depth than just lowering inflammation. I suspect something more fundamental may be going on. Inflammation is a secondary effect is it not?

I think ALL acids in bladder helps for this, acetylsalicylic acid is no exception :)

malic acid is known to help soften stones so you bring up a very good point...

 

[Wagner83]

malic acid is known to help soften stones so you bring up a very good point...

So magnesium malate should be quite beneficial as a daily preventive measure.

 

[TheBeard]

Some people on the forum have complained of potential gallbladder stones and/or inflammation. This study says aspirin may be of some help.

[Sludge, gallstones and aspirin] - PubMed

"...This article reviews our present knowledge concerning the so-called sludge, an echographic entity, which is formed by mucus and cholesterol microcrystals. Several physiological and pathological states are associated with gallbladder sludge. Experimental data suggest that sludge could precede gallstones and that aspirin could be used as a preventive agent against the appearance of gallbladder sludge and stones."

And in the mean time:

Can aspirin prevent gallstone recurrence after successful extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy? - PubMed

Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) is a feasible procedure for the treatment of gallbladder stones in humans. Well-selected patients can achieve stone-free rates in a high percentage. With the gallbladder in situ, these patients are at risk of stone recurrence. There is considerable...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Aspirin does not inhibit cholesterol cholelithiasis in two established animal models

The effect of aspirin on cholesterol cholelithiasis was examined in the hamster and the prairie dog. In the prairie dog, diets were composed of semipu…

www.sciencedirect.com