Potion

A potion is a liquid preparation designed to produce a particular effect when ingested, applied, or otherwise used. In folklore and fantasy, potions are often depicted as magical brews, but historically similar preparations appear in medicine, alchemy, and herbalism. The term is sometimes used broadly to refer to any medicinal liquid, including tinctures and decoctions, though those terms denote specific extraction processes.

Potions usually combine a liquid base with one or more active ingredients gathered from plants, minerals, or animal sources. Preparation methods include infusion, decoction, heating with the ingredients, distillation, maceration, and fermentation. Dose and administration influence efficacy and safety, and traditional regimens emphasize precise measurement and preparation conditions.

Historically, physicians and apothecaries in ancient and medieval periods prepared potions for healing, cleansing, or symptomatic relief. Alchemists pursued elixirs of life and transmutation, sometimes using the language of potions to describe their processes. In many cultures, potions or brews were tied to ritual or spiritual practices as well as practical pharmacology.

Types and examples of potions range widely. Healing potions are common in fiction and can resemble real-world medicines; others include antidotes, poisons, love potions, and brews claimed to grant strength or invisibility. In modern pharmacology, the term potion is often used informally for liquid medicines, such as syrups and suspensions.

In contemporary media and culture, potions remain a staple element of fantasy settings, serving as plot devices and systems of magic. They offer a historical lens on how humans have used liquid preparations to influence health, perception, or performance.