aspirin

Acetylsalicylic acid, a popular pain-relieving drug (analgesic) developed in the late 19th century as a household remedy for aches and pains. It relieves pain and reduces inflammation and fever. It is the world's most widely used drug.

Aspirin was first refined from salicylic acid by German chemist Felix Hoffman, and marketed in 1899. Although salicylic acid occurs naturally in bark of willow Salix alba (and has been used for pain relief since 1763) the acetyl derivative is less bitter and less likely to cause vomiting.

Aspirin may cause stomach bleeding, kidney damage, and hearing defects. It is no longer considered suitable for children under 12 because of a suspected link with a rare disease, Reye's syndrome. However, recent medical research suggests that an aspirin a day may be of value in preventing heart attack (myocardial infarction) and thrombosis.

Aspirin works by interfering with two similar prostaglandin-manufacturin g enzymes, PGHS-1 and PGHS-2. The inhibition of PGHS-2 produces pain relief, whilst the inhibition of PGHS-1 causes the side effects. In 1995 US researchers produced the first three-dimensional picture showing aspirin interacting with PGHS-2; using this information a synthetic version of aspirin without the side effects has been produced. These modified aspirins, dubbed ‘superaspirins’, came on to the market in 1996. A new ‘super aspirin’, abciximab, is used to treat patients having coronary angioplasty to clear their arteries.