History of Pain Killers
Aspirin
In the 4th-5th century B.C., the Greek physician Hippocrates, had started using salicin from powdered willow bark. Sodium salicylate, is a derivative of this powder and was used for centuries, this form often caused stomach pains. In the nineteenth century, a German chemist, Felix Hoffman, modified the substance to ease the stomach pain his arthritic father had when taking sodium salicylate. In 1897, he created acetylsalicylic acid, better known as aspirin.
Acetaminophen
In the nineteenth century, a pain reliever, phenacetin, was discovered and being used in France, to reduce fevers. In 1899, German scientist Karl Morner discovered that the body metabolizes phenacetin to make acetaminophen. When tested acetaminophen turned out to be safer. In 1953 McNeil Laboratories first marketed acetaminophen. Acetaminophen is still available as an over the counter (OTC) drug or higher doses are available by prescription.
NSAIDs and COX-2 Selective NSAIDs
NSAIDs have only been around since the 1960s, when Professor Tsung-Ying Shen discovered indomethacin, the first NSAID. The COX-2 inhibitors were discovered in 1991 by W. L. Xie and colleagues. Products such as Celebrex and Vioxx came into the market in 1998-1999.
Opioids
Opium was being cultivated as early as 3400 B.C., by the Sumerians, Assyrians, Babylonians, and Egyptians. Hippocrates used Opium as a narcotic, Alexander the Great introduced opium to Persia and India, and Paracelsus used opium as a painkiller during the Renaissance. Morphine was discovered by German Friedrich Sertuerner, in 1803. it was first injected by syringe in 1843, by a Scottish doctor, Dr. Alexander Wood. Heroin was first synthesized in 1874, by an English scientist, C. R. Wright, and first sold by The Bayer Company in 1898.
The use and abuse of prescription drugs, painkillers, and OTC drugs is becoming a huge problem around the world. There are many drug rehab centers that specialize in treating this type of addiction. If you or a loved you are struggling with addiction to pain meds get help now.
