White Willow Tree, Bark, and Bayer Aspirin
07 Mar 2008
Aspirin was patented in Germany 199 years ago yesterday for the German pharmaceutical company, Friedrich Bayer & Co., but the active ingredient in the early product was available all along in God’s creation, the White Willow Tree.Acetylasalicylic Acid in the early aspirin was made from the active, salicin, in willow trees; it is in good concentrations in White Willow bark. The man known as the “Father of Medicine”, Hippocrates knew of the willow barks ability to relieve pain and reduce fever and used it for this.At first, aspirin was used in powder form, and in the early 1900’s was made into a tablet form. There is interesting information available about how the patent and trademarks expired during WWI, and through a series of events, circumstances and purchases, became part of IG Farben, a company that worked together with a number of chemical companies that were at the financial center of the Nazi regime. After the WWII and the split up of the various companies, Bayer became a separate entity and was purchased by Miles Laboratory as recently as 1978, but long before that, it had become a household name. There is more to the history of this simple but profound product.Many still appreciate and enjoy using the natural, herbal form of the product, the inner bark of the White Willow tree. I use it myself on occasion.If you would like a fact sheet about any of the items marked in red, please send me an email. Thanks!Need references for any of these claims? Please email me and ask!
7 Responses
2008 Mar 08
I love to garden, too. I will be checking back for more holpful tips, ideas, and science.
Pam Archer
2008 Mar 09
Have you thought of listing with Blotanical? I think you have a great site here and it’s worth getting it added.
http://www.blotanical.com/
2008 Mar 16
Kathie,
Thank you for the information about “blotanical”, I have joined thanks to you. It looks like it will be a great place to meet others who love getting their hands in the soil!
claudia
2008 Mar 16
Pam,
So happy you stopped by and enjoyed your visit, I have a lot to transfer over from an old site, and all the info needs updating, so it will take time..plus there will be plenty of new things to add and keep me busy! Can’t wait!
Blessings, claudia
2008 Apr 08
Aspirin was patented in Germany 199 years ago yesterday for the German pharmaceutical company, Friedrich Bayer & Co.,We have more information on willow tree and i think itwill help you….
2008 Apr 08
Very sneaky, Rosy dear, your “willow tree” isn’t quite the same as what we’re talking about here, but we’ll let it go as you did such a nice job of turning a phrase
Claudia
2008 Sep 16
Hi We just had big white willow trees fall down from storms in our area. I can see the inner bark and I can see all of the yellow white inner cream like bark. SO how would I use that ? Are the leaves of any use? How should I use it? Thanks!!!