Aspirin: Looking at the Science Behind Pain Relief




Aspirin: Looking at the Science Behind Pain Relief

Imagine this: You get out of bed and feel a headache, you pop a pill, and the pain slowly fades away, for a

temporary time. That pill can be Aspirin! But not many people know how it actually works;

let's get into that!


Aspirin: What Is It?

Aspirin’s chemical formula is (C₉H₈O₄) and it’s also known as acetylsalicylic acid. It’s commonly

used for anti-inflammatory purposes, pain, and fever. It’s been around for roughly a century,

but its origins go all the way to ancient civilizations which used willow bark. The willow

bark contains salicin which is one of the main compounds leading to the creation of Aspirin.


How It Works

So everyone has special enzymes (COX-1 and COX-2) that help create prostaglandins;

which is responsible for inflammation and pain. Aspirin literally blocks that, reducing those feelings.

It’s a temporary solution though, not a cure.


It also helps with stopping blood clots, so some people low-dose it to lower their lifetime risks of

stroke and heart attacks; but what are the risks? 


Aspirin’s Risks

Aspirin can be helpful, but it’s not for everyone. It can cause ulcers, internal bleeding, and

overall stomach irritation. Doctors don’t recommend it for daily use unless it’s a necessity.


Alternatives

Other medicines like Advil (Ibuprofen) and Voltaren (diclofenac) are also

non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs just like Aspirin. They work similarly but with slightly

different effects. Some are better for arthritis, or muscle pains, or fevers.


Should You Take Aspirin?

If you don’t have heart complications, I personally suggest using it wisely as it’s not necessary.

The risk to return is only profitable with those who have heart conditions.

If you’re perfectly healthy and just feel under the weather, drink some tea, stay hydrated, and have a rest.

Take Aspirin on occasion; when you just feel super horrible.


Fun Fact: 40,000 metric tons of Aspirin are produced globally worldwide.

That’s about 6000 elephants worth of Aspirin. 🐘


Aspirin is fascinating in showing how chemistry can better or worsen our lives.

Let us know in the comments if you would take Aspirin! 💬



References


  1. Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Aspirin tablets. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved January 26, 2025, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/20592-aspirin-tablets

  2. National Center for Biotechnology Information. (n.d.). Aspirin. PubChem. Retrieved January 26, 2025, from https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Aspirin

  3. Schrör, K. (2022). Acetylsalicylic acid. De Gruyter. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110746419

  4. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). (n.d.). Chemical database: Aspirin. Retrieved January 26, 2025, from https://www.osha.gov/chemicaldata/384

  5. National Center for Biotechnology Information. (n.d.). Aspirin: Stability and reactivity. PubChem. Retrieved January 26, 2025, from https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Aspirin#section=Stability-and-Reactivity&fullscreen=true

  6. Zacharias, N. M., Ornelas, A., Lee, J., Hu, J., Davis, J. S., Uddin, N., Pudakalakatti, S., Menter, D. G., Karam, J. A., Wood, C. G., Hawk, E. T., Kopetz, S., Vilar, E., Bhattacharya, P. K., & Millward, S. W. (2019). Real-time interrogation of aspirin reactivity, biochemistry, and biodistribution by hyperpolarized magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 58(12), 4179–4183. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201812759

  7. Reynolds, J. E. F., & Prasad, A. B. (Eds.). (1982). Martindale: The Extra Pharmacopoeia (28th ed., pp. 236, 240). London: The Pharmaceutical Press. Retrieved from https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Aspirin#section=Drug-Idiosyncrasies

  8. University of Texas Medical Branch. (n.d.). Origin story of aspirin. UTMB News. Retrieved January 26, 2025, from https://www.utmb.edu/mdnews/podcast/episode/origin-story-of-aspirin 

  9. LibreTexts. (n.d.). Synthesis of aspirin (experiment). LibreTexts. Retrieved January 26, 2025, from https://chem.libretexts.org/Ancillary_Materials/Laboratory_Experiments/Wet_Lab_Experiments/Organic_Chemistry_Labs/Experiments/1%3A__Synthesis_of_Aspirin_(Experiment) 

  10. Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Is taking aspirin good for your heart? Retrieved January 26, 2025, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/is-taking-aspirin-good-for-your-heart#:~:text=However%2C%20aspirin%20did%20increase%20the,heart%20attack%20and%20stroke%20prevention.

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