The painkiller that changed the world: Aspirin’s surprising journey through history

Aspirin has been in the medicine cabinets of U.S. households for decades. Interestingly, the main chemical agent in aspirin that alleviates pain and reduces fevers has been used by humans for millennia.

Dating as far back as ancient Egypt, people were writing about the medicinal benefits of plants rich in salicylate, like papyrus and willow trees. However, it was not until the 19th century that scientists were able to isolate the chemical found in willows, naming it salicin, from the Latin word for the tree.

In 1829, according to the Science History Institute, a French pharmacist by the name of Henri Leroux was able to crystallize salicin through a process known as extraction. He used the product to treat rheumatism, the medical term for general inflammation in muscles, joints, and connective tissue.

Market dominance before main competitors entered the market

After years of development, the German drug company Heyden Chemical Company was able to mass-produce salicylic acid. The Bayer Company began producing aspirin in 1899, and it soon became the company’s best seller. You have to imagine that at the time, ibuprofen (the drug used in Advil) or acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol) had not yet been invented.

Advantages of Aspirin

However, the long-term use of aspirin and the dangers it poses were quickly discovered. As other drugs came on the market in the mid-20th century, aspirin lost some of its popularity. Still, aspirin has certain benefits—like reducing the risk of blood clotting—that can lower the chances of heart attack or stroke.

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