Knowra Salicylic acid Salicylic acid Salicylic acid is an aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acid found in plants. It is a precursor to aspirin and is used topically to treat acne, psoriasis, and warts.
Hydroxybenzoic acid : An aromatic compound with a hydroxyl group and a carboxylic acid group attached to a benzene ring. Salicylic acid is the ortho isomer, with those groups on neighboring ring carbons.
Aspirin : A pain-relieving, fever-reducing, and anti-inflammatory drug whose active ingredient is acetylsalicylic acid. Aspirin is made by acetylating salicylic acid's phenolic hydroxyl group.
Salicin : A bitter plant-derived glycoside that can be converted in the body to salicylic acid-related compounds. Salicin from willow bark helped lead chemists toward salicylic acid and its medicinal use.
Acetylsalicylic acid : The chemical name for aspirin, formed by acetylating salicylic acid. Aspirin is a derivative, not simply another name for salicylic acid.
Phenolic acid : An organic compound containing both a phenolic hydroxyl group and a carboxylic acid group. Its hydroxyl group is attached directly to the aromatic ring, placing it in this family.
Acne vulgaris : A common skin disorder involving blocked hair follicles, excess sebum, and inflammation. Topical salicylic acid helps clear blocked follicles by loosening dead skin cells.
Willow bark : The bark of willow trees, historically used in remedies for pain and fever. Willow bark contains salicin, a natural starting point in the history of salicylate medicines.
Benzoyl peroxide : A topical medication that treats acne partly by killing acne-associated bacteria and reducing follicular blockage. It treats acne through antimicrobial oxidation, unlike salicylic acid's exfoliating action.
Keratolysis : The breakdown or shedding of the outer layer of skin through disruption of its keratinized cells. Topical salicylic acid softens and sheds thickened, scaly skin by this process.
Psoriasis : A chronic immune-mediated skin disease that produces sharply defined, often scaly plaques. Salicylic acid is used as a scale-softening treatment, often alongside other therapies.
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