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FROM THE HISTORY OF DRUGS: OLEUM JECORIS ASELLI, A LONG TIME USED REMEDY

EMILIA STANCU^*, ANA CARATA, ADRIANA-ELENA TĂEREL

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Since ancient times, fish oil (Oleum Jecoris Aselli, Cod Liver Oil, Oleum morrhuae) has been used in Northern peoples’ diet. At the end of 18th century, it began to be used as a remedy, the physician Thomas Percival indicating it in chronic rheumatism and women’s bone demineralization treatment. Later, the indications for this product were extended to other diseases such as tuberculosis, rickets, scrofula, psoriasis and keratosis. Chemical studies, undertaken simultaneously with the development of clinical use, have established the correlation between composition and therapeutic indications. The remedy was used as it is, both externally and internally, but because its unpleasant smell and taste, oral administration was difficult. To overcome this disadvantage, various formulations, particularly emulsions, were prepared. Oleum Jecoris Aselli is used even today, a Cod Liver Oil monograph appearing both in the European Pharmacopoeia 8.0 and the USP 35. The product has been used in Romanian Principalities, evidence in this regard being the reference to it in the Pharmacopoeias, in copy registers, in specialized periodicals such as the “Journal of Pharmacy” and on storage vessels labels.