ASPIRIN

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200 B.C. The Greek physician Hippocrates discovers that having his patients chew on bark and
leaves from the willow tree (which contains high amounts of a substance called salicin) significantly reduces pain and fever.

A.D. 100–200 The use of willow leaves for the relief of pain is described in the writings of early Roman doctors and Greek surgeons.

1832 A German chemist experiments with salicin and creates salicylic acid.

1897 Another German chemist, Felix Hoffmann, working for the drug company Bayer, synthesizes a stable form of acetylsalicylic acid, which becomes the major active ingredient in aspirin.

1899 Aspirin makes its debut as a pain reliever and is distributed to physicians in powdered
form by Bayer. Aspirin is available by prescription only.

1900 Aspirin is distributed in water-soluble tablets, cutting the cost of the medication
in half.

1915 Aspirin becomes available without a prescription.

1948 A California doctor discovers that approximately 400 of his male patients who take
aspirin on a regular basis have no history of heart attack, suggesting that aspirin’s ability
to reduce blood clotting may somehow prevent the occurrence of heart attacks.

1971 British pharmacologist John R. Vane discovers that aspirin works by reducing the formation
of prostaglandins and therefore reducing pain. He is awarded the Nobel Prize for this discovery in 1982.

1980s–1990s The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves the use of aspirin to reduce
the risk of stroke and heart attack and recommends that aspirin actually be taken during a heart attack to minimize damage to the heart.

1999 Aspirin is inducted into the Natural Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institute for its century of reducing pains, aches, fevers, and inflammation, and for saving the lives of thousands of heart attack patients.

Source: Bayer. “The History of Aspirin.” Available online at
http://www.bayeraspirin.com/press/factsheets/aspirin_history.pdf.

Aspirin

Aspirin, also known as acetylsalicylic acid (often abbreviated ASA), is one of the oldest OTC pain relievers.An estimated 30 billion aspirin tablets are consumed every year worldwide. Aspirin is considered an NSAID and inhibits the function of the COX enzyme in producing prostaglandins (see Figure 2.1). Aspirin is also an excellent antipyretic (fever reducer), because it promotes the dilation of blood vessels, which cools the skin. In the United States, aspirin is sold under common brand names such as Acuprin®, ASA, Ascriptin®, Aspergum®, Bayer®, Bufferin®, Buffinol, Cope, Doan’s®, Ecotrin®, Empirin®, Halfprin®, Healthprin®, Sloprin, St. Joseph®, and ZORprin. Aspirin takes approximately 30 minutes to start working after you take it by mouth. When taken on a full stomach, it may take longer to work. Aspirin tablets are manufactured to

contain anywhere from 80 to 1,000 milligrams (mg) of aspirin each.Maximum pain relief is observed in adults with a dosage of 3,600 to 5,400 mg of aspirin per day, and the ability of aspirin to relieve pain lasts for about 4 to 6 hours. Aspirin has some beneficial effects when mixed with caffeine, because caffeine increases the pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects of aspirin. Brand names of pain relievers that combine aspirin and caffeine include Alka- Seltzer®, Anacin®, and Cope Analgesic Pain Reliever.

Aspirin is considered a relatively safe medication, but it does have some potentially dangerous side effects, especially when taken in amounts that exceed the recommended dosage or when taken for a prolonged period of time (i.e., weeks or months). Such side effects include tinnitus (ringing in the ears), upset stomach and stomach ulcers, liver or kidney problems, and high blood pressure. Aspirin also reduces the blood’s ability to form clots; for this reason, aspirin is considered a “blood thinner.” This reduced blood clotting can result in bleeding from the stomach or intestines.

Although the ability of aspirin to inhibit blood clotting can be dangerous, it can also be beneficial, as in the case of a heart attack. Heart attacks are caused by a blockage of the blood vessels that provide the heart muscle with its own blood supply. This blockage is often caused by blood clots. Since aspirin inhibits the formation of blood clots, it can substantially reduce the risk of the occurrence of a heart attack. Aspirin can even reduce the damage to the heart if it is taken during a heart attack.