Plants Produce Aspirin to Protect Themselves Against Predatory and Environmental Hazards: New Study

Plants are fundamental to the proliferation and development of life on Earth since time memorial.

Having the most-known function of photosynthesis, plants convert carbon dioxide through sunlight and water to produce oxygen, which has been an essential element for living organisms to grow, to reproduce, and to survive ultimately.

In terms of food and medicine, plants are considered to be the foundation of the food chain; wherein herbivores used them as a main source of energy.

In addition, they can also serve as ingredients of the many medicines that various pharmacies and medical facilities used around the world in contemporary times, even during the ancient era.

However, all these botanical wonders are in danger as various natural factors, such as predatory hazards and environmental hazards, are causing the decline of some plant species.

Nevertheless, a new study revealed that plants are not defenseless at all since they also produce the salicylic acid called aspirin at times of stress.

The research highlights a new perspective when it comes to our understanding of how plants can increase their survival rate, even when under extreme stress caused by climate change.

In recent years, several research suggested that a number of plant and tree species are in danger due to the ongoing climate crisis.

Aspirin Production

(Photo : Photo by Madison Inouye )

In the new study published in the journal Science Advances, scientists found that plants protect themselves from environmental hazards or environmental stresses like: drought, heat, and insects by producing aspirin.

Researchers from the University of California, Riverside, used Arabidopsis as a model plant, which led to their discovery that these hazards disrupt the sugar-making apparatus of plant cells.

The disruption eventually generated an early warning molecule called methylerythritol cyclodiphosphate (MEcPP).

MEcPP accumulation can lead to the production of aspirin, but at low amount only.

Also Read: Salt-Loving Super Plants: Saviors of the Planet?

Plants: Climate Change Impact

The National Park Service (NPS) said that climate change is the main source of "stressed out" plants and leads to a chain effect of various hazards that affect both animals and the climate.

This means the changing climate is causing a number of factors called "climate stressors" affect or kill plants as enumerated below by the NPS:

Lowered productivity
Spread of invasive plants
Vulnerability to pests
Saltwater intrusion
Altered ecosystem structure

In general, the US government agency summarized that climate change and global warming causes prolonged droughts and spikes the number of heat waves, leading to stress on plants.

Plant Stress and Stimuli

The term "stress" used in this context can be compared to a stimulus that plants also feel.

This is because there is still no concrete evidence to suggest that plants have feelings or emotions like humans and some animals.

Still, the University of Melbourne in 2017 suggested that plants have feelings too, and they are under constant environmental stresses.

In contrast, a Live Science article in 2019 cited that scientist claim plants have no feelings; which is based on plant biology that is more "complex and fascinating" compared to animals.

Researchers reportedly wrote that plant intelligence is an interesting topic but still inconclusive.