by Charles Simmins

Created on: August 31, 2009   Last Updated: March 19, 2010

Aspirin was the first wonder drug. Thousands of years ago, shamans would boil the bark from a willow tree and give that potion to their patients to sooth pain. Willow bark is rich in salicylates, which have both pain relieving and fever reducing properties. Aspirin is made from those very same salicylates.

In 1853, Charles Frederic Gerhardt created in a chemistry experiment the chemical acetyl salicylic acid. Chemists at the

Bayer Company saw its potential and patented it in 1899. Aspirin is a generic name in a handful of nations as a result of the Treaty of Versailles which ended World War I. Germany was forced to give up the trademark status of the word aspirin in the victorious nations. In over 80 nations, Aspirin remains the protected property of the Bayer Company.

Aspirin is an over the counter medicine in the United States. It has a wide variety of uses, and many cautions about its use. It is also found in many other medications, compounded with other drugs that enhance its effects or treat additional symptoms.

Aspirin is a COX-2 inhibitor. That means it slows down the formation of blood clots. That discovery won the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1982.

The FDA reports the following:

"Aspirin has been shown to be helpful when used daily to lower the risk of heart attack, clot-related strokes and other blood flow problems. Many medical professionals prescribe aspirin for these uses. There may be a benefit to daily aspirin use for you if you have some kind of heart or blood vessel disease, or if you have evidence of poor blood flow to the brain."

Aspirin is a pain reliever, fever reducer, and it reduces inflammation and swelling. It can be found in cold relief and arthritis relief products.

When to use aspirin?

Aspirin is a potent drug with many effect on the body. Despite its over the counter status, it should never be used without an initial consultation with a physician. Serious allergic reactions are known to occur, and children under 18 are at risk from Reye Syndrome if given aspirin.

Aspirin can be a life saving drug for heart and stroke patients. A physician will recommend both the drug and the correct dosage. Aspirin can increase or prolong bleeding especially if the dose is too high. It is also an gastrointestinal irritant, which may increase the risk of a bleeding ulcer or gastric distress symptoms.

The Bayer Company offers a guide to selecting the right product based on symptoms, from its product line. There are many other generic and name brand aspirin products that are comparable and readily available at a pharmacy.

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