New ‘NOSH aspirin’ inhibits growth of cancer cells in lab tests

Scientists have developed a new ‘NOSH aspirin’ that combines two new forms of aspirin to create a hybrid that could potentially be used as an anti-cancer drug. It releases nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S), which signal substances produced in the body to reduce inflammation and relax the blood vessels, among other effects. An aspirin that release NO and another that released H2S were both found to be beneficial on their own, but scientists hypothesized that creating a hybrid would produce an even more effective medication than each one alone, which they say has proven to be correct. Additionally, laboratory tests show that the new aspirin inhibits the growth of several different types of cancer cells -- it’s more than 100,000 times more powerful against cancer cell growth than regular aspirin -- and did not damage normal cells.