SWEDISH BITTERS, HISTORY AND INVESTIGATION OF SWEDISH BITTERS EXAMPLES IN COUNTRY MARKET

Objective: The Swedish bitter's (Hiarnes Testamente) formulation which came from the 1700's and was originally found to consist of a mixture of 6 medicinal plants and one fungi with theriac, alcohol and sugar was found among the handwritings of Swedish physician, Dr. Urban Hiarne (1641–1724) and Dr. Gustaf Lohrman (1640–1694) after their deaths. Swedish bitter which was sold as a drug in pharmacies in the beginning, was phased out from pharmacies since the middle of the 1980s. 1775 formulation of elixir according to the Pharmacopoeia Svecica, of the six medicinal plants [aloe (Aloe vera L.), rhubarb (Rheum palmatum L.), saffron (Crocus sativus L.), myrrh (Commiphora molmol Engler.), gentian (Gentiana lutea L.), zedoary (Curcuma zedoaria Roscoe.)] and one of fungi [agarikon (Laricifomes officinalis (Vill) Kotl. et Pouzar)] were prepared by mixing with theriac which was a conventional classical compound, alcohol and sugar which was used as a sweetener. Material and Method: In the literature search section of the study, the history of the Swedish bitter was researched and information was provided on this subject. In addition, market research was conducted on products that were sold in the name of "Swedish bitter" in our country market were determined and the samples were purchased. Result and Discussion: Swedish bitter containing plant mixtures are found in the form of herbal tea, non-alcoholic extract, alcoholic extract and oral ampoules in the market of our country. It is also possible to reach various mixes on the internet. In our study, we have determined that of these plants in the products offered for sale are different from each other. It has been observed that these products do not adhere to the original formulation