Acetylsalicylic Acid Administered in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Its Effect on the Antioxidant Enzyme System

Type 2 diabetes mellitus and its complications are associated with oxidative stress and the depletion of antioxidant defenses. The influence of acetylsalicylic acid on reversing the decrease in antioxidants, insulin resistance, glucose homeostasis, and inflammatory cascade can help prevent diabetes complications. Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of acetylsalicylic acid on the antioxidant enzymatic system in patients with diabetes. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was carried out in 21 patients of both sexes with Type 2 diabetes for less than five years at the time of diagnosis, without pharmacological treatment, and randomly selected. Acetylsalicylic acid (300 mg) was administered orally for three months to the study group (n = 11) compared to the placebo control group (n = 10). Before and after the intervention, anthropometric and metabolic measurements were taken, fasting plasma glucose, glycated hemoglobin A1c, lipid profile panel, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and antioxidant capacity/activity were determined; values are presented as mean ± standard deviation. Intra- and intergroup differences were tested by Wilcoxon signed rank and Mann-Whitney U test, respectively; p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The acetylsalicylic acid group showed a decrease in weight (85.6 ± 19.3 vs. 84.1 ± 19.0 kg p = 0.01), cholesterol (205.9 ± 16.6 vs. 186.0 ± 23.2 mg/dL p = 0.02), and glycated hemoglobin A1c (7.8% ± 0.9% vs. 7.0% ± 0.7% p = 0.02). The placebo group exhibited reduction in weight (76.1 ± 14.9 vs. 74.9 ± 15.0 kg p = 0.04), glycated hemoglobin A1c (6.9% ± 0.6% vs. 6.2% ± 0.4% p = 0.004), and total antioxidant capacity (4.1 ± 0.5 vs. 4.8 ± 0.3 mmol/L p = 0.002). Conclusion: The administration of acetylsalicylic acid did not modify the antioxidant enzyme system.