The question on whether aspirin has any important role to play or not has generated a lot of controversies over years especially among the individuals that fakes the drug, and the pharmaceutical industries that produces it. This question that seemed to be half way answered gave rise to carrying out of this study.

This work is in such a way as to help the readers understand the role of aspirin in human health and the chemical component of the drug in reaction. It also deals extensively with the definition and background of study, the statement of some problems, the aims and objectives, the limitation and hypothesis.

And for the work to be neatly done, there are some books we searched so as to gather more information as is stated in the literature review. It also deals with the uses or importance of the drug, the side eff3ects, and the solution to the problems and the definition of some terms. The result of the work is also analysed and the conclusion was drawn. It is also finally recommended to everybody that has the need to take it and some references were also done.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page

Certification page

Dedication

Acknowledgement

Abstracts

Table of contents

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Definition and background of study

1.2 Statement of problem

1.3 Aims and objectives

1.4 Limitation

1.5 Hypothesis

CHAPTER TWO

2.1 Literature review

2.2 Uses of aspirin

2.3 Side effects of aspirin

2.4 Definition of terms

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 Materials and method

3.1 Apparatus

3.2 Reagents

3.3 Methodology

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 Results

4.1 Diagram

CHAPTER FIVE

5.1 Conclusions

5.2 Recommendations

References

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 INTRODUCTION, DEFINITION AND BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Aspirin can be defined as an analgesic drug made from a willow barks as a fever fighter. The leaves and the bark of the willow tree contain a substance known as Salicin. Salicin is a naturally occurring compound similar to acetyl salicylic acid. Aspirin, (Edward Stone, 1996).

In the laboratory, one can synthesis aspirin a derivative of salicylic acid. It is antipyretic because it lowers the body temperature of a person that has fever. The compound has little effect if the body temperature is normal. Salicylates are mild analgesic that relieves pains associated with headaches, (Neuralgia – a pain that is felt along a nerve usually in the head or face) and rheumatism (a disease that makes the muscles and joints painful, stiff and swallowed, (Oxford Dictionary, 6^th edition).

Aspirin for more than hundred years now has been used as a pain reliever for many diseases. Americans consumed over 20 billion tablets a year. The most commonly salicylic used in medicine today is aspirin. In this research work, aspirin was prepared from Salicylic acid and acetic anhydride.

CooH

OOCC

+ CH₃COOCOCH₃ CH₃ COOH +

Acetic

Salicylic Acetic Analdride – Acid Aspirin

Acid

Lawrence and Black J. N. (1998):

Aspirin as a cure to cardiovascular disease is acceptable as an important weapon in prevention of heart diseases. A trial reported in the lancent this year (Vol. 349, pg. 1641) is the latest in a series of studies showing that aspirin reduces the risk of strokes in patients with early warning signs to transient