Salicylate and mitochondrial injury in Reye's syndrome.

Electron microscopic and spectrophotometric studies showed that salicylate causes gross swelling of mitochondria in isotonic salt solutions. In overall morphology the salicylate-treated mitochondria resembled those from patients with Reye's syndrome. Salicylate analogs such as m-hydroxybenzoate, p-hydroxybenzoate, and benzoate did not exert this effect. The mitochondria deformed by salicylate tended to return to their original condensed form on removal of the drug.