Potassium carbonate, Potash

Salt of Tartar, Pearl ash, Carbonate of Potassa
Kali carbonicum, Sal Tartari, Kali Lignorum Purum, Sal Absinthii (Salt of Wormwood), Sal Cinereum Clavellatorum Depuratum, Potassii carbonas impura
Yavaksara, Yavasukaja (Ayurveda)
Ya bak sha ra (Tibetan)
Jawakhar, Javakhar (Unani)
Natrun (Arabic)
Picture Preparation of Potassium carbonate
(Museum Museorum, Valentini, 1704)

Minerological name:
Impure Potassium carbonate; K2CO3

Parts used:


Purified Salt extracted from Wood ashes or other plant ashes such as Wormwood.
Two types of Potassium carbonate were traditionally recognised:
  1. salt extracted from ashes of certain herbs or wood ashes
  2. Minerals containing Potassium carbonate

Temperature & Taste:


Very Warm, dry. Salty, Pungent (Unani, Ayurveda)

Properties:
Highly alkaline
Readily soluble in water, insoluble in alcohol

Constituents:


Wood ashes contain, in addition to Potassium carbonate, Potassium hydroxide etc,
According to Ayurvedic sources, Barley ash contains Potassium chloride (50%), Potassium sulphate (20%), Potassium bicarbonate (12%), Potassium carbonate (7%)

Uses:


1. Reduces Acidity, Benefits Digestion:
-indigestion with excess stomach acid
-Heartburn, acid regurgitation
-abdominal distension, abdominal masses (Ayurveda)
-Anemia, Hemorrhoids and Spleen diseases (Ayurveda)

2. Clears Damp, Promotes Urine: (West, Unani)
-Edema, Ascites, Anasarca
-Stones associated with urine acidity
-Diabetes with urine acidity

3. Clears Phlegm, Stops Cough:
-Cough, Bronchitis, Croup, Wheezing from Phlegm (West, Ayurveda)
-Pleuritis, Pneumonia, Emphysema (Unani)

4. Clears Phlegm, Resolves Masses:
-glandular swellings, lymphadenitis, swelling of the Breast or Testicles, Abdominal masses
-Cysts and Inflammation of the Pelvic region
-Liver and Spleen swelling
-Acute Rheumatism

5. Benefits the Heart:
-Pericarditis
-Heart diseases associated with Vata (Ayurveda)

6. Externally:
-topically for Acne, Urticaria, Pityriasis Leprosy
-in baths for Gout and Rheumatism
-promotes expression of Measles and Small Pox, relieves itching and pain (as a wash or bath)
-topically as a cosmetic
-diluted solution dropped into the eye for specks on the cornea


Dose:


Large doses are emetic.
500mg–1 grams (traditionally 10–30 grains) in powder or dissolved into water or a decoction.

Comment:


1. ‘All ksaras (alkalies) are very penetrating; very hot in potency, destroy worms, easily digestible, vitiate pitta and asrk (blood), help digestion of other substa­nces, help break up hard masses, not good for the heart, pun­ctures the tissues; being pungent and salty in taste are not good to semen, ojas (essence), hairs and eyes (vision). (Ashtanga-Hridayam)
2. Potassium carbonate and Potassium bicarbonate are both alkaline Potassium salts. Potassium carbonate is highly alkaline whereas the bicarbonate form is mildly alkaline. Chemically, Potassium bicarbonate has one hydrogen atom in its molecule.

Preparation:


1. Powdered Wood Ashes, Cold Water, equal amounts. Mix well, let sit for a week, then strain and filter. Allow to evaporate, and when salts start to form, stir continually until dry. Keep the salt in an airtight container.
2. In Ayurveda and Unani it is prepared by burning dried green Barley spikes (or whole plant) to ashes and treating as above. Various herb ashes can also be used, the ashes of Wormwood being especially used in Europe.
The Salt prepared has a greater or lesser amount of impurities depending on the source of the ashes, and how well it is filtered.

Correctives:


Tragacanth, Gum Arabic (Unani)

Substitute:


Sea Salt

Main Combinations:


1. Fever:
i. Potassium carbonate (40 grains), Sugar (120 grains), Distilled Water (4 oz.), Cinnamon Water (2 oz.). Mix. Take 1 ½ oz. every half hour with Lemon juice. (Riverius)
2. Between the fits of Intermittent Fevers, Potassium carbonate (10 grains), Camomile, Myrrh (24 grains each), taken every hour.
3. Cough, Bronchitis:
i. Potassium carbonate with Long Pepper (Unani)
ii. Cough, Whooping Cough, Potassium carbonate (15 grams), Pomegranate seed (120 grams), Long Pepper (60 grams), Black Pepper (30 grams), Jaggery (240 grams). Form pills, Dose: 1–3 grams (as in Habb-e-Hindi Saul of the Unani Pharmacopoeia)
iii. Whooping Cough, Potassium carbonate (1 scruple), Cochineal (half dram), Hyssop water (4 oz.). Syrup of Poppy (half oz.), Orange flower water, Syrup of Ipecac (1 oz. each). Mix, Give a spoonful every 2 hours. (Bories)
4. Urinary retention, Potassium carbonate with Rhubarb, Potassium nitrate, Cumin (Unani)
5. Burning Urine, Potassium carbonate with Tribulus seed (Unani)
6. Stones, Potassium carbonate (2 drams), Lime water (2 pints). Dose: a wineglassful every 2 hours in an equal amount of Milk (Ellis)
7. Abdominal masses, enlargement of the Liver or Spleen, add Potassium carbonate to a decoction of Triphala and Long Pepper (Unani)
8. Indigestion, flatulent colic, Potassium carbonate with Wormwood, Tansy, Centaury, Bog Bean (as in Alkaline Tincture of Wormwood from Universal Formula, 1850)
9. Bloating, a decoction of Potash and Saltpeter (Tibet)
10. Stomachic and Carminative:
i. Potassium carbonate with Gentian, Mint, Orange peel
ii. Potassium carbonate with Hops, Centaury, Bitter Orange peel
11. As a purgative, digestive tonic and antacid, Potassium carbonate with Aloe, Myrrh, Saffron, Licorice (as in Compound Decoction of Aloes from Universal Formula, 1850)
12. Amenorrhea, Potassium carbonate with Myrrh, Sulphate of Iron (Ellis)
13. Dysmenorrhea, Potassium carbonate with Rhubarb, Potassium nitrate, Cumin (Unani)
14. Hysteria and Nervous disorders, Asafetida, Potassium carbonate (2 oz. each), diluted Alcohol (1 pint). Steep, strain. Dose: 20 drops. (Universal Formula, 1850)
15. Pruritus:
i. Potassium carbonate (1 oz.), Flowers of Sulphur (2 oz), Lard (4 oz.). Mix and use topically. (Brera)
ii. Potassium carbonate (half oz.), Washed Sulphur (10 oz), Cinnabar (1 oz.), Oil of Bergamot (half fluid oz.), Lard (10 oz.). Mix and use topically. (Bateman)
16. Pruritus of the Vagina:
i. Potassium carbonate (3 drams), Water (4 oz.). Mix and use as a wash topically.
ii. Potassium carbonate (2 dram), Rose Water (4 oz.). Mix and use as a wash topically.
17. Chilblains, Potassium carbonate (1 oz.), Rose Water (1 pound). Mix and use as a wash topically.
18. Spots and specks on the cornea:
i. Potassium carbonate (2–6 grains), Water (1 oz.). Mix. Dropped into the eye every 2–4 hours. (Universal Formula, 1850)
ii. Potassium carbonate (25 grains), Celandine water (2 oz.); digest warm for 24 hours, then add tincture of Aloes (24 drops). Drop into the eye several times daily.
19. Cosmetic:
i. Potassium carbonate with Almond meal, Rice flour, Orris root, Benzoin, Oil of Lavender used topically.
ii. Potassium carbonate (2 oz.), White Soap (12 oz.), powdered Orris root (3 oz.), powdered Horsechestnut (2 pounds), Oil of Lavender, Oil of Bergamot (40 drops each), Oil of Lemon (30 drops), Oil of Clove (10 drops), Sugar (half ounce). Mix, form a powder to be used as a scrub. (Niemann)
20. To promote hair growth, solution of Potassium carbonate (1.5 drams), Rosemary extract, Tincture of Cantharides (1 dram each), Water (4 oz.). As a lotion topically. (Sachse)

Major Formulas:


Habb-e-Hindi Saul (Unani Pharmacopoeia)
Alkaline Tincture of Wormwood
Compound Decoction of Aloes (Universal Formula, 1850)

Cautions:


1. Long-term use or overdose can cause hyperkalemia affecting Heart function. Therefore it is very dangerous when used improperly.
2. Avoid in cold and weak digestion
3. Highly alkaline so can irritate the tissues if used without dilution or solution. It decreases Stomach acid and turns acid urine alkaline.
4. According to Ayurveda, it is detrimental to the Semen and Essence of the body.

Main Preparations used:


Potassium Acetate, Sulphuret of Potassium

1. Potassium Acetate
  Acetic acid                     1 pint
  Potassium carbonate  sufficient
Add the salt to the acid gradually until saturated; filter, evaporate in a sand bath.
  Diuretic in doses of 1 scruple–1 dram; Laxative in doses of 2–3 drams

2. Sulphuret of Potassium
  Sulphur                          1 oz.
  Potassium carbonate  2 oz.
Rub the carbonate of potassa, previously dried with the sulphur, melt the mixture in a covered crucible over the fire; then pour it out, and when cold put it in a bottle, which is to be well stopped. (U.S. Pharmacopoeia)
  Stimulant, expectorant, diaphoretic in doses of 2–10 grains. Externally in cutaneous diseases. Toxic in overdose.