Naked Science Forum
General Science => General Science => Topic started by: neilep on 03/01/2010 16:47:47
-
Dear Aspiring Aspirionologists,
As a sheepy , If I get a headache I may choose one of a whole variety of pain killers...paracetemol is usually my fave but Aspirin is also there if I need it.
[ Invalid Attachment ]
Some Aspirin Last Night
Aspirin is good at thinning your blood, if ewe have like....... well thick blood then aspirin will help thin it ! (ask a doctor first of course...I'm just a qualified sheep and although rare..can actually be wrong !!..I know ..Kerrazy isn't it ?)...
In addition to suppressing pain and thinning blood...I just found out that aspirin can promote plant growth !!
What's that all about ?...How does a dose of aspirin make a plant grow ?......and what would be the dosage ?..daily..weekly ?
As a firm believer in empirical study I snuk into my neighbours house at 3am this morning and he gleefully allowed me to crash two cymbals either side of his head for four hours....In addition I made a little cress patch on top of his head....whilst I philanthropically gave him some aspirin to cure a headache that he somehow developed ...........I also sneakily crumbled some into the cress patch !....Thing is..I got hungry and ate the cress...so..no luck there !
Can ewe help me understand the nature of aspirin-ational plant growth ?
hugs & shmishes
mwah mwah mwah
Neil
I Luff Cress
xxxxxxxxxxxx
-
I'm glad this question was brought up because I forgot I once pondered it. Once in a blue moon(ahh so fitting) I buy my wife flowers. The florist mentions to add 1.5 coated aspirin to 2 gallons of water. In addition to this add 2 tablespoons of yucca extract to help aspirin stick to the leaves. In the vase it prevents the leaves from wilting early as well. I know some studies have shown that spraying seeds with an aspirin mixture enhances germination as well. This stimulating the plant to fight off fungi and bacteria. Anyone have specifics on why and what is happening exactly?
Thanks
Adam
-
We really need a plant biologist here.... but my best guess is aspirin is an analogue of something found naturally in plants that promotes growth. Analogue is something structurally similar to a particular enzyme, in this case one that promotes growth or good health in the plant, and is used by the plant in the same way, but is different to the original enzyme in the plant that usually causes health/growth.
Does that make sense? Might be a bit waffly as I don't know too much about plant biochemistry.
-
While we wait for a botanist, let's consider it's detailed effects on humans. Aspirin interrupts molecular signals. It interrupts pain signals (aha! let's use it to relieve pain), and it interrupts clotting signals (aha! let's use it to prevent unwanted clotting).
Ummmmmm why???? Aspirin is a COX2 inhibitor,COX2 increases level of prostaglandines made in response to inflammation, and therefore pain signals received by the nervous system. I know how aspirin works, and the biochem pathways, what I don't now is why is works on plants, and what it is an analogue of.
I do know it is synthesized from salicyclic acid, which is derived from the bark of trees, so it must be a growth promoter of some sort.
-
Neil, I don't know if Aspirin would help plants because it's
made from the extract of a willow tree's bark.
Which plant do you want to use your aspirin with??
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willow
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_aspirin
-
I was hoping for a botanist to happen along. From 2003:
Discovery of the salicylic acid-binding protein 2 (SABP2) gene, by scientists at Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research (BTI) at Cornell University, is being called an important step toward new strategies to boost plants’ natural defenses against disease and for reducing the need for agricultural pesticides.
Salicylic acid, the chemical compound found naturally in most plants (as well as in the most-used medication, aspirin), is a plant hormone produced at elevated levels in response to attack by microbial pathogens. According to a report on the Web today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS Early Edition, week of Dec. 7, 2003) by BTI’s Dhirendra Kumar and Daniel F. Klessig, the aspirin-like hormone is perceived by the SABP2 protein and a message is transmitted, via a lipid-based signal, to activate the plant’s defense arsenal. Says Klessig, "Now that we know a key signaling protein in plant immune systems, we can work on ways to enhance the signal and help plants fight disease without using potentially harmful pesticides."
The PNAS authors say SABP2 plays an important role in restricting infections by inducing host cells at the site of infection to undergo programmed cell death and sacrifice themselves for the benefit of the rest of the plant.
SABP2 also plays a critical role in activating the innate immune system in other parts of the plant to guard against further attack or spread by the same pathogen – and even against unrelated pathogens. (Innate immune systems, which mount an immediate defense against infections, are found in all plants and animals. But only vertebrates, including humans and other mammals, have additional levels of defense – the antibody-producing B cell and T cell-mediated acquired immunity for a delayed response that can take weeks to develop.)
http://www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/life_sciences/report-24038.html
Right so Aspirin triggers SABP (salicyclic acid binding protein) because it is synthesized from salicylic acid, causing the plant to promote an immune response and fight infection.
There ya go Neil, that is your answer!
-
I'm glad this question was brought up because I forgot I once pondered it. Once in a blue moon(ahh so fitting) I buy my wife flowers. The florist mentions to add 1.5 coated aspirin to 2 gallons of water. In addition to this add 2 tablespoons of yucca extract to help aspirin stick to the leaves. In the vase it prevents the leaves from wilting early as well. I know some studies have shown that spraying seeds with an aspirin mixture enhances germination as well. This stimulating the plant to fight off fungi and bacteria. Anyone have specifics on why and what is happening exactly?
Thanks
Adam
Thank ewe ATremor.
..and how lucky for your wife too [:)] That's good to know that even the florist promotes the use of aspirin (for the flowers), so that validates that what I heard was not just a rumour. It seems that the posts that have followed also in this thread corroborate and explain the reasoning behind it too................which is nice.
-
We really need a plant biologist here.... but my best guess is aspirin is an analogue of something found naturally in plants that promotes growth. Analogue is something structurally similar to a particular enzyme, in this case one that promotes growth or good health in the plant, and is used by the plant in the same way, but is different to the original enzyme in the plant that usually causes health/growth.
Does that make sense? Might be a bit waffly as I don't know too much about plant biochemistry.
Thank ewe Variola.
I reckon it seems you're barking up the right tree !..it does make sense to me..which, I hope, is a good thing ! [;)]
-
I was hoping for a botanist to happen along. From 2003:
Discovery of the salicylic acid-binding protein 2 (SABP2) gene, by scientists at Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research (BTI) at Cornell University, is being called an important step toward new strategies to boost plants’ natural defenses against disease and for reducing the need for agricultural pesticides.
Salicylic acid, the chemical compound found naturally in most plants (as well as in the most-used medication, aspirin), is a plant hormone produced at elevated levels in response to attack by microbial pathogens. According to a report on the Web today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS Early Edition, week of Dec. 7, 2003) by BTI’s Dhirendra Kumar and Daniel F. Klessig, the aspirin-like hormone is perceived by the SABP2 protein and a message is transmitted, via a lipid-based signal, to activate the plant’s defense arsenal. Says Klessig, "Now that we know a key signaling protein in plant immune systems, we can work on ways to enhance the signal and help plants fight disease without using potentially harmful pesticides."
The PNAS authors say SABP2 plays an important role in restricting infections by inducing host cells at the site of infection to undergo programmed cell death and sacrifice themselves for the benefit of the rest of the plant.
SABP2 also plays a critical role in activating the innate immune system in other parts of the plant to guard against further attack or spread by the same pathogen – and even against unrelated pathogens. (Innate immune systems, which mount an immediate defense against infections, are found in all plants and animals. But only vertebrates, including humans and other mammals, have additional levels of defense – the antibody-producing B cell and T cell-mediated acquired immunity for a delayed response that can take weeks to develop.)
http://www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/life_sciences/report-24038.html
Awesome...Thank ewe DiscoverDave....with your great research and Variolas 'thumbs up' ewe have indeed answered the question...for which I am most grateful.
Brilliant !
-
Neil, I don't know if Aspirin would help plants because it's
made from the extract of a willow tree's bark.
Which plant do you want to use your aspirin with??
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willow
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_aspirin
Hi Rosalind and Thank ewe for your comment. It does seem though that Aspirin is in fact good for making happy plants !...and the last thing we want are upset Triffids !! [;)]
-
I was hoping for a botanist to happen along. From 2003:
Discovery of the salicylic acid-binding protein 2 (SABP2) gene, by scientists at Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research (BTI) at Cornell University, is being called an important step toward new strategies to boost plants’ natural defenses against disease and for reducing the need for agricultural pesticides.
Salicylic acid, the chemical compound found naturally in most plants (as well as in the most-used medication, aspirin), is a plant hormone produced at elevated levels in response to attack by microbial pathogens. According to a report on the Web today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS Early Edition, week of Dec. 7, 2003) by BTI’s Dhirendra Kumar and Daniel F. Klessig, the aspirin-like hormone is perceived by the SABP2 protein and a message is transmitted, via a lipid-based signal, to activate the plant’s defense arsenal. Says Klessig, "Now that we know a key signaling protein in plant immune systems, we can work on ways to enhance the signal and help plants fight disease without using potentially harmful pesticides."
The PNAS authors say SABP2 plays an important role in restricting infections by inducing host cells at the site of infection to undergo programmed cell death and sacrifice themselves for the benefit of the rest of the plant.
SABP2 also plays a critical role in activating the innate immune system in other parts of the plant to guard against further attack or spread by the same pathogen – and even against unrelated pathogens. (Innate immune systems, which mount an immediate defense against infections, are found in all plants and animals. But only vertebrates, including humans and other mammals, have additional levels of defense – the antibody-producing B cell and T cell-mediated acquired immunity for a delayed response that can take weeks to develop.)
http://www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/life_sciences/report-24038.html
Right so Aspirin triggers SABP (salicyclic acid binding protein) because it is synthesized from salicylic acid, causing the plant to promote an immune response and fight infection.
There ya go Neil, that is your answer!
YAYYYY !!
Do ewe think Variola it may be too much of a big ask to find out dosage and frequency of ?...I guess it depends a lot on the type/size of plant !
-
Do ewe think Variola it may be too much of a big ask to find out dosage and frequency of ?...I guess it depends a lot on the type/size of plant !
I haven't a clue.... plants are things that grow in the garden and I have spend my degree avoiding doing plant phys.... lol
Ummmmmm gardening sites???
-
Neil, I don't know if Aspirin would help plants because it's
made from the extract of a willow tree's bark.
Which plant do you want to use your aspirin with??
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willow
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_aspirin
Hi Rosalind and Thank ewe for your comment. It does seem though that Aspirin is in fact good for making happy plants !...and the last thing we want are upset Triffids !! [;)]
Agreed I don't want Triffids or mutants LOL
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Day_of_the_Triffids
-
When you take aspirin you reduce pain. Therefore you in a better mood and water and feed your plants, simple!
-
I think it has to do with headaches.
As the plants get their aspirin their headache becomes less.
Happy plants grow faster..
Simple
I'm surprised that I was the only one realizing this?
You can also play death metal for them.
But then you need more aspirin.
-
When you take aspirin you reduce pain. Therefore you in a better mood and water and feed your plants, simple!
I don't take Aspirin but once in a blue moon I'd take a paracetamol. No I wouldn't feed my plants with a painkiller
but water and Babybio
-
Don't smother your plants, keep your oxygen bottle handy. And treat them with dignity, after all, they didn't ask to come to you. Remember, a happy plant is a smiling plant.