aspirin is one of the most widely used drugs in the treatment of inflammation , pain and fever . it has more recently found application in the prevention of heart attacks and stroke and is being studied as a cancer chemopreventative agent . despite its value aspirin continues to be underutilized because it causes gastric bleeding . the technology under development potentially removes this problem . it is designed to reduce contact between the drug and the intestinal lining . an isosorbide aspirinate prodrug compound is thus provided . the compound has the general structure as shown in general formula wherein y is a c 1 - c 8 alkyl ester , a c 1 - c 8 alkoxy ester , a c 3 - c 10 cycloalkyl ester , an arylester , a c 1 - c 8 alkylaryl ester or — cor ring , wherein r ring is a 5 - membered aromatic or nonaromatic 5 - member ring having at least one heteroatom substituted for a carbon of the ring system , which can be unsubstituted or substituted with at least one nitric oxide releasing group .