WEBVTT

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The story of aspirin begins over 3,000 
years ago in Ancient Sumer and Egypt.

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Back then, medicines derived from willow 
trees were used to treat fever and pain.

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Later on in Ancient Greece, Hippocrates, 
known as the Father of Medicine, noted

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that willow leaf tea helped 
to relieve the pains of childbirth.

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The beginning of what we know 
today as aspirin began in 1763 when

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an English chaplain named Edward Stone 
submitted a report to the Royal Society

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detailing the use of dried, powdered 
willow bark in curing fever.

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Let's fast forward to the 19th century.

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The 19th century was a period 
of huge growth for the burgeoning field

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of organic chemistry.

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There was a huge focus on the isolation
and purification of the active components

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of many medicines, 
including willow bark.

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In 1828 Johann Buchner was able
to obtain relatively pure crystals

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of a substance called salicin, 
an anti-inflammatory agent found

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in the leaves and bark 
of the willow tree.

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Then in 1838 something major happened. 
Italian chemist Raffaele Piria discovered

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a method of obtaining a more potent 
acid form of the willow extract,

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salicylic acid.

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By 1853 French chemist 
Charles Frederic Gerhardt had published

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the first methods to prepare
acetylsalicylic acid,

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the main ingredient in aspirin,
by mixing acetyl chloride

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with sodium salicylate.

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Later in 1897 while employed at Bayer, 
young German chemist, Felix Hoffman,

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discovered a better way 
to synthesize acetylsalicylic acid

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from salicylic acid refluxed 
with acetic anhydride.

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The acetylsalicylic acid created 
by Hoffman was then put through

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clinical trials and initial reports 
were that it was a successful antipyretic,

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but despite this, it was rejected
due to salicylic acid's reputation

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for weakening the heart.

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However, later low-profile clinical trials
were done anyway, proving that the drug

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was an effective analgesic and had 
no apparent adverse effects on the heart.

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By 1899, Bayer had chosen the name
'aspirin' for its new drug.

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By 1950, aspirin had become 
the world's most popular pain killer.

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Despite its popularity, aspirin's use 
declined after the development

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of acetaminophen and ibuprofen.

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However, due to the discovery 
of the basic mechanism of aspirin's

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effects on the body and studies 
establishing aspirin's efficacy

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as an anti-clotting agent 
from the 1960s through the 80s,

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the use of aspirin was revitalized 
with a large revival of sales

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in the later decades of the 20th century.

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Now, aspirin stands as a preventative 
treatment for heart attacks and strokes.