Willow promises new medicines
Investigating tree’s metabolites throws up much more than aspirin
The many and various uses of willow – from cricket bats and wicker baskets to aspirin and biofuel - only hint at the full potential of this long-established crop, say chemists at Rothamsted Research in Hertfordshire, UK.
Rothamsted holds the UK’s National Willow Collection, amounting to 1500 different willows (from 450 different species). Many were grown for uses that no longer exist: basket weaving and hurdle making are less in demand these days. But while their external structure holds less appeal, their internal chemistry contains untold riches.