Kali Carbonicum – Potassium Carbonate

The attenuations are prepared from Potassium carbonate, K₂CO₃, MW: 138.2.

Kali Carbonicum, Potassium carbonate or potash is an extraordinarily important homoeopathic remedy, acting particularly on the mucosa and heart. There are typical stabbing pains, which are independent of movement, and also back-pains between the shoulder-blades. There is anaemia, and often also nausea, pressure in the stom- ach, nasal and bronchial catarrh, and possibly whooping cough and chronic gastro intestinal catarrh.

Also typical of Kali Carbonicum are oedemas of the upper eyelids, and possibly puffiness of the whole face.

There may also be haemorrhoids with burning, itching pains, and these may be as- sociated with constipation and frequent unsuccessful urging (as in Nux Vomica).

Haemorrhage from the lungs and a tendency towards miscarriage, the patient needing to lie down, come within the sphere of indication of this remedy.

Especially typical of Kali Carbonicum however are the heart-symptoms. There are perpetual arrhythmias, possibly interspersed with paroxysmal tachycardia. There are frequently defects of the valves, associated with myocardial weakness and stab-

bing pains in the heart. The Kali salts have a general prophylactic action in respect to heart attack.

The author was especially pointed towards Kali Carbonicum about 40 years ago in treating a patient, about 30 years of age, with damage to the myocardium. This pa- tient was suffering from an arrhythmia, which had remained with him after an infec- tious disease. His E.C.G. showed lesions which medical opinion at that time consid- ered irreparable. The patient was then prescribed Kali Carbonicum 4X and nothing else, following which both his general state of health and also the arrhythmia im- proved. After a treatment of several months the myocardial damage was also com- pletely removed, so far as that could be ascertained at the time by E.C.G., since the

E.C.G. pattern had returned completely to normal.

It might also be mentioned that Kali Carbonicum has proved its worth in tubercu- lar conditions, also in diseases like scurvy and disordered liver function with jaun- dice, and in weakness of the bladder.

Kali Carbonicum has a quite particular action on the right lung, on stitching pains which are not connected with the respiration. Thus it is also indicated in right-sided pleurisy, especially when there are heavy night-sweats without relief. In contrast to Bryonia, in such conditions the patient cannot lie on the affected side.

Kali Carbonicum has a typical aggravation-time of 3:00 a.m.. There is also a great sensitivity to touch (cf. Apis), and a great weakness, presenting as muscular weak- ness.

The following main symptoms emerge from a summary:

1. Stabbing pains unrelated to the respiration, especially in the right lung.
2. Pleurisy (especially on the right-hand side).
3. Catarrhal conditions of various kinds, (nose, bronchi, chronic intestinal catarrh, haemorrhoids).
4. Haemorrhoidal complaints. Weakness of the bladder. Stress-incontinence of urine on coughing.
5. Great weakness and unsteadiness. Muscular weakness and rheumatism. Anaemia. Cannot bear to be touched.
6. Chemosis of the upper eyelids.
7. Sensitivity in the epigastrium.
8. Damage to the heart muscle with arrhythmia; may miss every third beat. Stab- bing pains in the heart and changes in the E.C.G. pattern, particularly in retoxic phases after infectious illness.
9. Typical aggravation around 3:00 a.m.
10. Prostrating sweats, especially at night.
11. Scrofulous conditions. Tendency to catch cold easily. Scurvy-like symptoms. Stomatitis. Periodontitis. Acne.
12. Menorrhagia. Metrorrhagia. Uterine prolapse.

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Kalium carbonicum, published the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for kalium carbonicum: chronic inflammations of the respiratory pas-

sages and of the pleura; cardiac diseases; collection of water in tissues; attrition processes involving the skeletal system; general weakness; paramenia; diseases dur- ing pregnancy.