Where can we get the painkiller aspirin?

Where can we get the painkiller aspirin?

• A. From willow
• B. From foxgloves
• C. From coca plant
• D. From plastic

Answer: (B)

Aspirin is tied to willow bark because it contains salicin, a natural precursor that chemists convert into acetylsalicylic acid—the compound we know as aspirin. This transformation was done to create a pain reliever and anti-inflammatory that is gentler on the stomach than salicylic acid on its own. Historically, willow is the natural source behind aspirin’s origins. Foxglove holds cardiac glycosides used for heart conditions, the coca plant yields cocaine, and plastic isn’t a source of medicines at all. So, the source of aspirin is willow.

Aspirin is tied to willow bark because it contains salicin, a natural precursor that chemists convert into acetylsalicylic acid—the compound we know as aspirin. This transformation was done to create a pain reliever and anti-inflammatory that is gentler on the stomach than salicylic acid on its own. Historically, willow is the natural source behind aspirin’s origins. Foxglove holds cardiac glycosides used for heart conditions, the coca plant yields cocaine, and plastic isn’t a source of medicines at all. So, the source of aspirin is willow.