Aspirin is a salicylate (sa-LIS-il-ate). It works by reducing substances in the body that cause pain, fever, and inflammation. Aspirin is used to treat pain, and reduce fever or inflammation. It is sometimes used to treat or prevent heart attacks, strokes, and chest pain (angina). There is evidence that has shown that aspirin as a chemoprotective agent may reduce overall cancer incidence and mortality in colorectal, esophageal and gastric cancers with smaller effects on prostate, breast and lung cancer. The cover story of this month titled: “Pharmaceutical Roots: The origins of aspirin” authored by Dulcie Phipps is an Assistant Global Product Manager at LGC. As the story suggests Pharmaceutical roots are a new content series from LGC Mikromol, investigating and outlining the natural origins of pharmaceutical substances, and offering a deeper dive into their uses, risks, and mechanisms of action.