COMMON ASPIRIN AS WE KNOW IT HAS A STORIED PAST AND MAYBE A MIRACULOUS FUTURE.

Derivatives of salicylic acid have been in medical use for many ailments since time immemorial. They were often made from the dried leaves and bark of willow trees and other plants. In more modern times, a French chemist, Charles Frederic Gerhardt, was the first to prepare acetylsalicylic acid in 1853. In 1897, Felix Hoffmann, a chemist at  Bayer, obtained acetylsalicylic acid by a reaction of salicylic acid and acetic anhydride.The brand name Aspirin was an acronym made up by the Bayer company of Germany. The name "aspirin" is composed of a- (from acetylirte, meaning acetylated) -spir- (from the plant genus Spiraea) and -in (a common, easily pronounceable ending for drug names at the time). On March 6, 1899, Bayer registered the name Aspirin as a trademark. Bayer began marketing aspirin in July 1899. It was originally sold as a powder and was an instant success; in 1914, they introduced aspirin tablets. In the early days it was often compounded with cocaine and even heroin to “liven the spirit.”

In higher doses aspirin and other salicylates are used for the treatment of rheumatic fever, rheumatic arthritis, and other inflammatory joint conditions. In lower doses, aspirin also has properties as an inhibitor of platelet aggregation, and has been shown to decrease the incidence of transient ischemic attacks and unstable angina in men, and can be used prophylactically. It is also used in the treatment of pericarditis, coronary artery disease, and acute myocardial infarction. Low doses of aspirin are also recommended for the prevention of stroke, and myocardial infarction in patients with either diagnosed coronary artery disease or who have an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease.
Aspirin has also been used to treat pain and arthritis in veterinary medicine, primarily in cats and dogs, although it is not particularly recommended, as there are better medications available.The drug may be effective in reduction of risk of various cancers, including those of the prostate, pancreas, upper GI tract, and the lung.

Many researchers believe that all  the possible uses for this seemingly miracle drug have not been discovered yet. Aspirin’s best days may indeed be ahead.