Acetyl salicylic acid, more popularly known as aspirin, is a known analgesic (relieves minor aches and pains), antipyretic (reduces fever), and anti-inflammatory (reduces inflammation to remedy pain).
Through the years, it has also been found to have anti platelet (bloodthining) effect, and is recommended in low-dose to prevent heart attacks and stroke.
In the 5th century B.C., Greek physician Hippocrates, later recognized as the father of modern medicine, wrote about a bitter powder extracted from the bark of a willow tree that could remedy headaches and other bodily pains, even fever.
Based on Hippocrates’ writing, some scientists found out the importance of this pain relieving compound. In 1828, Johann Buchner, a pharmacy professor at the University of Munich, found a way to isolate the compound from the plant which causes its pain relieving effect. It was a yellow, bitter, and “neddle-like” crystal which he called salicin.
In 1829, French chemist Henry Lenoux invented a procedure to isolate more salicin from tree barks. He took 1.5-kilogram of a willow bark and acquired almost 30 grams of salicin from it.
In 1839, Italian chemist Raffaele Piria, based at Sorbonne in Paris, split the compound into sugar and a sweet-smelling compound. This sweetsmelling compound underwent process of hydrolysis and oxidation. Piria called the resulting acid alicylic acid, which was the purest form of the compound that causes pain relief.
But the problem with the purest form, while effective to relieve pain, is that it could not be tolerated in the stomach. And so. German chemist Charles Frederic Gerhardt in 1853 attempted to neutralize the strong attribute of the acid.
He made use of sodium (sodium salicylate) and acetyl chloride which resulted in acetylsalicylic acid. However, despite his success in neutralizing the acid, Gerhardt did not persist in marketing his work.
Gerhardt’s work then prompted another German chemist, Felix Hoffman, to discover the procedure and tried it with his own father who was suffering from arthritis.
To his amazement, the formula worked and so he started convincing his company to finance the drug.
The company agreed to finance the production of the acid which was patented on March 6, 1889. It came up with the name popular even at present: Aspirin. The “a” came from spiraea ulmaria, the scientific name of the tree they derived the substance from, and “in” was just a trend as a medicine name ending during the time.
Since then, the use of aspirin as a pain reliever and subsequently as a blood thinning agent has become popular. Today, aspirin is recommended daily treatment to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events like heart attack and stroke.
A low dose aspirin made to suit daily administration with minimal adverse events is available in the countryunder the brand name Cor-30, Low dose Core-30 is a heart shaped aspirin manufactured by Filipino-owned Pascual Laboratories Inc., and available in leading drugstores nationwide. Patients are advised to consult their doctor for the best medicine for their condition.
Source: Manila Bulletin, photo courtesy of www.chm.bris.ac.uk
Through the years, it has also been found to have anti platelet (bloodthining) effect, and is recommended in low-dose to prevent heart attacks and stroke.
In the 5th century B.C., Greek physician Hippocrates, later recognized as the father of modern medicine, wrote about a bitter powder extracted from the bark of a willow tree that could remedy headaches and other bodily pains, even fever.
Based on Hippocrates’ writing, some scientists found out the importance of this pain relieving compound. In 1828, Johann Buchner, a pharmacy professor at the University of Munich, found a way to isolate the compound from the plant which causes its pain relieving effect. It was a yellow, bitter, and “neddle-like” crystal which he called salicin.
In 1829, French chemist Henry Lenoux invented a procedure to isolate more salicin from tree barks. He took 1.5-kilogram of a willow bark and acquired almost 30 grams of salicin from it.
In 1839, Italian chemist Raffaele Piria, based at Sorbonne in Paris, split the compound into sugar and a sweet-smelling compound. This sweetsmelling compound underwent process of hydrolysis and oxidation. Piria called the resulting acid alicylic acid, which was the purest form of the compound that causes pain relief.
But the problem with the purest form, while effective to relieve pain, is that it could not be tolerated in the stomach. And so. German chemist Charles Frederic Gerhardt in 1853 attempted to neutralize the strong attribute of the acid.
He made use of sodium (sodium salicylate) and acetyl chloride which resulted in acetylsalicylic acid. However, despite his success in neutralizing the acid, Gerhardt did not persist in marketing his work.
Gerhardt’s work then prompted another German chemist, Felix Hoffman, to discover the procedure and tried it with his own father who was suffering from arthritis.
To his amazement, the formula worked and so he started convincing his company to finance the drug.
The company agreed to finance the production of the acid which was patented on March 6, 1889. It came up with the name popular even at present: Aspirin. The “a” came from spiraea ulmaria, the scientific name of the tree they derived the substance from, and “in” was just a trend as a medicine name ending during the time.
Since then, the use of aspirin as a pain reliever and subsequently as a blood thinning agent has become popular. Today, aspirin is recommended daily treatment to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events like heart attack and stroke.
A low dose aspirin made to suit daily administration with minimal adverse events is available in the countryunder the brand name Cor-30, Low dose Core-30 is a heart shaped aspirin manufactured by Filipino-owned Pascual Laboratories Inc., and available in leading drugstores nationwide. Patients are advised to consult their doctor for the best medicine for their condition.
Source: Manila Bulletin, photo courtesy of www.chm.bris.ac.uk
<a rel="nofollow" March 6, 1899 the German chemist Felix Hoffman was granted a patent on aspirin. Surprisingly, even a... <a rel="nofollow"
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