Poem a Day April 24, 2012

salicylic acid (suggested by Grant)

the willow leaned
over the ailing
faun
and whispered
nibble at my bark
which heals

the man watched
as the deer gamboled
in the sun
and wondered
whence came the
relief

the philosopher
drank tea
for headache
and contemplated
the effects of bark and root and leaf

the scientist-doctor distilled
and recombined
and tested
and named

from
salicylate
willow-i-ate
aches and pains lifted
salicylic acid

The science behind pain relief begins in the ancient times, when humans had only their ability to observe, compare and remember. The pharmacy was their larder: the great outdoors. We can’t know the first person who realized that willow extracts were helpful against pain and other problems, but we can be sure that it took a while to “get it right” and know when it would work and when other treatments were needed.

I know from my studies and personal experience that herbal dosing requires skill and a certain amount of luck. A wise friend of mine who was a doctor once told me that when modern physicians were first analyzing digitalis for its heart benefits they realized that the amount of digoxin varied from plant to plant (so sometimes the dosage was right and sometimes it was very wrong). The advantage to modern medicine in many cases has been the ability to be sure of dosage (and therefore efficacy).

Chemistry, plants, nature, nurturing, and careful thinking: these are things I love, and they come together in this one amazing, yet common item.

PubChem at NIH gives the scientific and medical details, and the chemical structure

Another site, gives sources, with history and herbal uses: drugs.com

I want to be clear: I am NOT a medical professional and this post is not intended to be medical advice. It is for entertainment only.