Aspirin, or acetylsalicylic acid, was first chemically synthesized in 1897 in Germany by Felix Hoffmann, a chemist working for the pharmaceutical company Bayer. Hoffmann's synthesis involved adding an acetyl group to salicylic acid to reduce its irritant properties, and Bayer patented the process. The drug was introduced to the market and trademarked as "Aspirin" in 1899 in Germany
. Although the medicinal properties of willow bark, which contains salicin (a natural precursor to salicylic acid), were known and used by ancient civilizations such as the Sumerians, Egyptians, and Greeks for thousands of years, the modern invention of aspirin as a chemically pure and tolerable drug took place in Germany at Bayer's laboratories in the late 19th century
. There is some historical debate about the exact credit for the invention, with evidence suggesting that Arthur Eichengrün, Hoffmann's supervisor, may have played a key role in the development and testing of aspirin, but the invention is generally attributed to the Bayer team in Germany
. In summary:
- Aspirin was invented (chemically synthesized and patented) in Germany.
- The key figure credited is Felix Hoffmann at Bayer in 1897.
- The brand name "Aspirin" was registered in Berlin in 1899
Thus, the country where aspirin was invented is Germany.
