Copper aspirinate Copper aspirinate Copper(II) aspirinate is an aspirin chelate of copper(II) cations (Cu). It is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Copper aspirinate can be prepared by several methods. In one route of preparation, an excess of acetylsalicylic acid is dissolved in aqueous sodium carbonate. Sodium hydroxide is not suitable for this purpose, because it will hydrolyse acetylsalicylic acid ("ASA") into salicylic acid and sodium acetate. The resulting solution is then filtered to remove any undissolved acetylsalicylic acid and is mixed with a solution containing Cu cations (copper(II) sulfate is suitable), precipitating bright blue crystals of copper aspirinate immediately. The crystals can
4-Aminosalicylic acid because aminosalicylic acid inhibits the synthesis of thyroid hormones. Drug interactions include elevated phenytoin levels. When taken with rifampicin, the levels of rifampicin in the blood fall by about half. The U.S. FDA assigned PAS to pregnancy category C, indicating that it is not known whether it will harm an unborn baby. With heat, aminosalicylic acid is decarboxylated to produce CO and 3-aminophenol. PAS has been shown to be a pro-drug and it is incorporated into the folate pathway by dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) and dihydrofolate synthase (DHFS) to generate a hydroxyl dihydrofolate antimetabolite, which in turn inhibits dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR)