Aspirin-use of aspirin and aspirin from phenol.

What is aspirin?

Aspirin is a very important organic as well as aromatic compound. Aspirin is also known as acetyl salicylic acid.The systematic IUPAC name of aspirin is 2-acetoxy benzoic acid.

When salicylic acid is treated with acetic anhydride in presence of few drops of concentrated sulfuric acid, then the product obtained is called aspirin . Aspirin is soluble in water.

Melting point of aspirin

The melting point of acetyl salicylic acid or aspirin is 409 K .

Boiling point of aspirin

The boiling point of acetyl salicylic acid or aspirin is 413 K .

IUPAC name of aspirin

The systematic IUPAC name of aspirin is 2-acetoxy benzoic acid .

Preparation of aspirin from phenol

If the aqueous solution of phenol ,carbon tetra chloride and sodium hydroxide mixture are heated under 65–75ᵒC temperature , the product obtained is disodium salicylate.

After cooling the solution, if we hydrolysis the solution by dilute HCl , the expected product obtained is salicylic acid.

Now, the acetylation of this salicylic acid in presence of acetic anhydride and few drops of concentrated sulfuric acid, acetyl salicylic acid that is aspirin is obtained. The chemical reactions are shown below.

Synthesis of aspirin from salicylic acid

When salicylic acid is treated with acetic anhydride in presence of few drops of concentrated sulfuric acid, then the product obtained is called aspirin. The chemical reactions are shown below.

Uses of aspirin

Aspirin or acetyl salicylic acid is very important medicinal compound.Because, it is used as medicine for different type of human diseases.

Aspirin is a very important analgesic and also antipyretic medicine.

Aspirin or acetyl salicylic acid is commonly used as a pain reliever for minor aches and pains and to reduce fever.

It has anti-coagulant property. Hence it can be used as a blood thinner .

People with a high risk of blood clots, stroke and heart attack can be use aspirin long term in low doses.

What is aspirin used for

Pain :

Aspirin is an effective analgesic for acute pain. Effervescent formulations of aspirin relieve pain faster than aspirin in tablets which make them useful for the treatment of migraines.

Topical aspirin may be effective for treating some types of neuropathic pain.

Headache

Aspirin, either by itself or in a combined formulation, effectively treats certain types of a headache like migraine, cluster headache etc.

Aspirin or other over the counter analgesics are widely recognized as effective for the treatment of tension headache. Aspirin is most effective at stopping migrains when they are first stage.

Inflammation

Aspirin is used as anti-inflammatory agent for both acute and long term inflammation as well as for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Fever

Like its ability to control pain, aspirin’s ability to control fever due to its action on the prostaglandin system through its irreversible inhibition of COX.

Although aspirin is used as an antipyretic in adults is well established. But many American agencies strongly advise against using aspirin for treatment of fever in children.

Because of the risk of Reye’s syndrome a rare but often fatal illness associated with the use of aspirin or other salicylates in children during episodes of viral or bacterial infection.

Heart attacks and strokes

Aspirin is an important part of the treatment of those who have had a heart attack. It is generally not recommended in people without other health problems, including those over the age of 70.

High risk

For people who have already had a heart attack or stroke, taking aspirin daily for two years prevented 1 in 50 from having a cardiovascular problem that is ,heart attack, stroke, or death.

Lower risk

In those with no previous history of heart disease, aspirin decreases the risk of a non-fatal myocardial infarction but increases the risk of bleeding and does not change the overall risk of death.

Aspirin appears to offer little benefit to those at lower risk of heart attack or stroke-for instance, those without a history of these events or with pre-existing disease.

Aspirin has also been suggested as a component of a poly pill for prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Complicating the use of aspirin for prevention is the phenomenon of aspirin resistance. For people who are resistant, aspirin’s efficacy is reduced.

Cancer prevention

Aspirin is thought to reduce the overall risk of both getting cancer and dying from cancer.

This effect is particularly beneficial for colorectal cancer. It may also slightly reduce the risk of endometrial cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer.

Other uses

Aspirin is a first-line treatment for the fever and joint pain symptoms of acute rheumatic fever.

Along with rheumatic fever, Kawasaki diseases remains one of the few indicators for aspirin use in children in spite of a lack of high quality evidence for its effectiveness.

Low-dose aspirin supplementation has moderate benefits when used for prevention of preeclampsia .

Besides, after different types of surgery doctor recommends that aspirin be taken indefinitely.

Why aspirin should not be taken on empty stomach ?

Aspirin or acetyl salicylic acid produces salicylic acid and acetic acid on hydrolysis in stomach .

For that reason, if we take aspirin on empty stomach , the above said acid can create severe painful ulser on stomach cells.
Consequently, we should not taken aspirin on empty stomach.