People tend to view aspirin as a nefarious pharmaceutical, but in reality, it's a purified plant medicine that's been used for thousands of years.

Well known as a painkiller with blood thinning properties, aspirin's benefits go far beyond what is commonly recognised... Aspirin belongs to a family of natural compounds called salicylates, the simplest of which is salicylic acid.

Trees, shrubs, flowers, grasses, and, to a lesser extent, fruits and vegetables naturally contain salicylic acid.

In plants, this molecule functions as a hormone that supports growth and provides protection against foreign invaders.