Wrinkles

When was willow used as an antiseptic?

The use of willow bark dates to the time of Hippocrates (400 BC) when people were advised to chew on the bark to reduce fever and inflammation.

How was willow traditionally used as medicine?

Willow bark, the bark of several varieties of willow tree, has been used for centuries as a pain reliever. The active ingredient in the medicine made from willow bark is called salicin. Some people use willow bark as an alternative to aspirin, particularly those that experience chronic headaches or back pain.

What is the earliest known use of willow for pain relief?

The use of willow bark for pain relief continued through ancient Greece, where it was recommended by Hippocrates to relieve the pain of childbirth, through to Roman times, when its use was recorded by Pliny the Elder (Jeffreys, 2004).

Which drug is derived from willow?

The story of the discovery of aspirin stretches back more than 3500 years to when bark from the willow tree was used as a pain reliever and antipyretic. It involves an Oxfordshire clergyman, scientists at a German dye manufacturer, a Nobel Prize-winning discovery and a series of pivotal clinical trials.

Which French chemist is associated with the synthesis of aspirin in 1853?

In 1853, the French chemist Charles Frederich Gerhardt compounded sodium salicylate with acetyl-chloride and synthesized a totally new substance, "acetylsalicylic acid".

Is aspirin still made from willow bark?

Many believe that willow is the natural source of aspirin. However, willow species contain only a low quantity of the prodrug salicin which is metabolized during absorption into various salicylate derivatives. If calculated as salicylic acid, the daily salicin dose is insufficient to produce analgesia.

What is the medicinal value of willow?

The bark is used to make medicine. Willow bark acts a lot like aspirin, so it is used for pain, including headache, muscle or joint pain, menstrual cramps, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis, gout, and a disease of the spine called ankylosing spondylitis.

Is aspirin made out of willow bark?

Aspirin is one of the most widely used drugs in the world. Its main ingredient comes from a natural product, salicin, found in plants such as willow and myrtle. Aspirin is also a good example of how myths build up around ancient medicines.