More than a century after its launch in 1897 aspirin remains one of the most popular remedies. Nearly every week news reports tell of new discoveries about the drug, innovative uses and new benefits from this true ‘wonder-drug’.
Not only is it perfect for staving off the effects of a heavy night's drinking, it is said to fight cancer, cut heart disease, reduce the possibility of Alzheimer's disease in old age and even combat arthritis.
Salicylic Acid History
The essential ingredient of aspirin, salicylic acid, has a long history. Hippocrates the famous Greek physician wrote about it as long ago as the 5th century BC. He found that a bitter tasting powder extracted from willow bark was amazingly effective in easing general body aches, headaches and pains and that it could also substantially reduce fevers.
The mighty Roman Army's physicians were also well stocked with willow bark. The same bark powder was also used by physicians in the Middle East and the Cherokee Indians had been using it to good effect for thousands of years.
The medicinal part of the plant is the inner bark known as salicin, after the Latin name for the white willow (Salix alba). Modern chemists crystallised the bark extract into salicylic acid and the brand name Aspirin was first coined by the Bayer company of Germany.
On March 6th 1899, Bayer registered Aspirin as a trademark but historic events conspired to ensure aspirin would soon become freely available around the world. The name "Aspirin" is composed of A (from the acetyl group) spir (from the plant genus spiraea) and in (a common ending for drugs at the time).
The company lost the right to use the trademark in many countries because the Allies seized the company and resold its foreign assets after World War I. The drug is now a medicine cabinet staple for millions around the globe.
Aspirin's Health Benefits
A host of reports have shown that aspirin, which costs very little per tablet and is already widely used to prevent heart attacks and strokes, may also be able to prevent certain cancers. A series of new studies announced in the US suggests those who take the cheap and popular painkiller are 16% less likely to develop cancer that those who do not. And aspirin users were also found in the new series of tests to be 13% less likely to die of the condition.
However some research has indicated that regular aspirin use may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer.
Taking aspirin several times per week has been shown to reduce prostate cancer by 20 percent, while a common skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, is 90 percent less likely among regular aspirin users. However it is still not exactly clear how the drug - the most widely-used medicine in the world - prevents cancer. It may even halve the chances of developing the most common form of lung cancer.
And there is good news for females too: a daily dose of aspirin can also cut the likelihood of developing breast cancer by almost a third and the reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by almost 40 percent.
Cancer Prevention
The American Association of Cancer Research claims that aspirin has a powerful influence on the development and progress of cancer as it seems to protect the body from the formation of some cancer cells. But regular aspirin may also raise the risk of pancreatic cancer.
Despite its benefits, aspirin is not well tolerated by everyone, with side effects including nausea, heartburn and stomach pain. And because aspirin also “thins” the blood and to some extent prevents blood clotting, internal bleeding and haemorrahgic strokes present a real risk. Taking aspirin with alcohol increases the chance of gastrointestinal haemorrhage (stomach bleeding).
Caution should also be taken in patients with kidney disease, peptic ulcers, mild diabetes, gout or gastritis. Caution is also advised in giving aspirin to young people under the age of 18 as it may cause Reyes syndrome a severe reaction ot aspirin use especially during feverish episodes.
Aspirin a cheap and commonly available drug may yet be the world’s first and only wonder drug.
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