History

• Aspirin is derived from a substance that occurs naturally in willow trees, which was used as a painkiller even in ancient times. In 1829 scientists determined that the compound salicin from salicylic acid in willow was responsible for the pain-killing qualities. This ingredient caused stomach upset, so chemists began trying ways to buffer the product. In 1900 the German pharmaceutical company Bayer began marketing its trademarked Aspirin.
  
  

Function

• Aspirin is most commonly used as a pain reliever, anti-inflammatory agent and a fever reducer. Since aspirin interferes with blood clotting, it also is sometimes used to treat or prevent angina, heart attacks and certain types of strokes. Clinical trials cited by the American Heart Association have shown that a daily aspirin helps prevent the occurrence of these events. The AHA recommends that people experiencing chest pain which may be a heart attack should first call 911, and then immediately take an aspirin to thin blood platelets.
  
  

Considerations

• Aspirin and the prescription drug warfarin are both blood thinners, but they work in different ways and are not interchangeable. Warfarin is significantly more effective in preventing strokes associated with atrial fibrillation, or abnormal heart rhythm. Most studies have shown warfarin to be somewhat more effective than aspirin in preventing clot-related strokes, but a study in the New England Journal of Medicine indicates that warfarin and aspirin are equally effective. Warfarin has a higher risk of causing severe bleeding. A physician can advise the best choice.
  
  

Potential

• Aspirin has also been indicated to prevent precancerous colon polyps in some people. Because aspirin carries risks, researchers have been working to determine which population benefits most in this aspect. The National Cancer Institute has reported that the occurrence of these polyps is significantly lower in women with alternative forms of a specific gene involved in the metabolism of aspirin, rather than the more common form of the gene.
  
  

Warning

• Children and teenagers with a fever should not take aspirin, particularly if the individual has chicken pox or flu symptoms. Aspirin can cause a serious condition called Reye's syndrome in these young people, which sometimes is fatal. People with bleeding ulcers or a history of hemorrhagic strokes should avoid aspirin. People should not drink large amounts of alcohol while taking aspirin because the combination increases the risk of stomach upset or stomach bleeding. People taking anti-coagulant drugs such as warfarin should not take aspirin.