Did you know that one of the world’s most commonly used pain relievers was first introduced over a century ago? In 1899, the German pharmaceutical giant Bayer officially registered acetylsalicylic acid under the brand name Aspirin which is a move that would change modern medicine forever.
Aspirin wasn’t just another remedy. At the time, it was a groundbreaking discovery. Scientists had been searching for a synthetic alternative to salicin, a natural compound found in willow bark that had long been used for its pain-relieving properties. Bayer’s chemist Felix Hoffmann succeeded in creating a more stable and less irritating version – acetylsalicylic acid.
Once Bayer branded it as Aspirin, the product quickly gained popularity around the world for treating headaches, fevers, inflammation, and even heart conditions. It became the gold standard for over-the-counter pain relief and laid the foundation for today’s nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
After World War I, Bayer lost the rights to the Aspirin trademark in many countries as part of war reparations. Despite this, the name lived on and ‘aspirin’ became a widely recognized generic term.
Today, millions rely on aspirin not just for pain, but also for its heart-protective benefits. Its 19th-century German origins show how one discovery can shape global health for generations.
