The History of Aspirin by Nathan Hart

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let's fast forward to the 19th century.

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

of organic chemistry.

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

of many medicines,
including willow bark.

In 1828 Johann Buchner was able
to obtain relatively pure crystals

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

in the leaves and bark
of the willow tree.

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

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

salicylic acid.

By 1853 French chemist
Charles Frederic Gerhardt had published

the first methods to prepare
acetylsalicylic acid,

the main ingredient in aspirin,
by mixing acetyl chloride

with sodium salicylate.

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

discovered a better way
to synthesize acetylsalicylic acid

from salicylic acid refluxed
with acetic anhydride.

The acetylsalicylic acid created
by Hoffman was then put through

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

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

for weakening the heart.

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

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

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

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

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

of acetaminophen and ibuprofen.

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

effects on the body and studies
establishing aspirin's efficacy

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

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

in the later decades of the 20th century.

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