ACIDS

Resource Person :

Prof.Dr.Shreepad Hegde
M.D.(Hom),M.D.(Acu),M.S.(C&P)
Professor,Govt Homeopathic Medical College &
Hospital,Bangalore.
Mail id: drsreepad@rediffmail.com
Mob:09448018654

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 ACIDS
 1. Arsenious acid (As 2 O 3)
 2. Acetic acid(Glacial acetic acid -HC 2 H 3 O 2)
 3. Benzoic acid ( C 6 H 5 CO. OH )
 4. Boricum acidum ( H 3 BO 3 )
 5. Butyric acid
 6. Carbolic acid ( Phenol- C 6 H 5 OH )
 7. Chromic acid ( Cr 2 O 3 )
 8. Flouric acid ( Hydrofluoric acid-HF )
 9. Formic acid
 10. Gallic acid ( Cwww.similima.com
7H6O5) 2
 11. Hippuric acid
 12. Hydrobromic acid
 13. Hydrocyanic acid ( Prussic acid- HCN)
 14. Lactic acid ( Milk acid- HC 3 H 5 O )
 15. Malic acid
 16. Muriatic acid ( Hydrochloric acid- HCl )
 17. Nitroso-muriatic acid ( Aqua Regia N 2 O 2
Cl 4 + H 2 O + Cl 2 + NOCl)
 18. Nitric acid ( HNO 3)
 19. Oxalic acid ( Hydrogen Oxalate-C 2 H 2 O 4
2H2O)
 20. Phosphoric acid (www.similima.com
H 3 PO 4) 3
 21. Picric acid ( Tri-nitro-carbolic acid- C 6 H 2 (
NO 2 ) 3 OH)
 22. Salicylicum acid ( C 6 H 4 ( OH) . CO. OH)
 23. Sarcolactic acid
 24. Silicic acid ( SiO 2 )
 25. Sulphurous acid ( H 2 SO 3)
 26. Sulphuric acid ( H 2 SO 4)
 27. Tannic acid ( C 14 H 10 O 9 , 2 H 2 O )
 28. Tartaric acid ( C 4 H 6 O 6)
 29. Uric acid.( Lithic acid - C 5 N 4 H 4 O 3 )
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 General chemical and physical character:
 They are electronegative. They combine with Electro- positive
substances like sodium and potassium . Most of them redden
litmus paper. Most of them are sour.

 Origin:
 Acids are derived from the mineral and vegetable kingdoms.

 Acids derived from the mineral kingdom: (Mineral acids)

 1. Arsenious acid
 2. Flouric acid ( from distillation of fluorospar- calcium fluoride)
 3. Muriatic acid
 4. Nitric acid
 5. Phosphoric acid
 6. Silica or silicic acid
 7. Sulphuric acid www.similima.com 5
 Acids derived from vegetable
kingdom ( Organic acids)
 1. Acetic acid ( principal ingredient of vinegar)
 2. Benzoic acid ( obtained by sublimation of gum resin)
 3. Butyric acid ( acid obtained from butter)
 4. Citric acid ( found in Oranges and lemons)
 5. Hydrocyanic acid ( or prussic acid contained in great
number of plants )
 6. Lactic acid ( source; sour milk)
 7. Malic acid ( source : apples, pears, raspberries )
 8. Oxalic acid (source : rhubarb )
 9. Salicylic acid ( found in Spiraea blossoms &
Gaultheria) www.similima.com 6
 General constituiton :

 Pale, thin , weak, broken down constitution.

 Anaemic, disturbed nutritional status, inherited
phthisis.
 Baldness, premature hair loss etc.
 Premature; old looking ahead of their age.

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 Action: Over body and mind
 General characters :
 Chilly (except picric acid and fluonic acid )
 Haemorrhagic tendency
 Weakness and debility
 Burning sensation due to irritation of nerves,
corrosive
 oversensitive to external impressions
 night aggravation
 Amelioration- motion and rest
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 Physiological and Medicinal Actions

 Decreases acid scretion ; thus increases alkaline secretion

 Antidotal and complimentary to certain drugs
 acetic acid low.......Belladonna high......citric acid
 causes dyspepsia
 Antidote for intoxication (eg : acetic acid)
 Corrosive action
 weakness
 Produces and checks haemorrhage
 Produces pseudo-membrane
 Debility due to defective nutritional assimilation
 For treating drunkards (eg : sulph acid)
 For diabetes mel (phos acid ) - debility
 For managing complaints of imbalance and deficiency eg: scurvy
 Nature of pain = Burning, biting, pricking , stitching - intense
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 Clinically

 Apthous ulcers, nutritional disorders, diarrhoea,

bringing on debility and exhaustion, bleeding
disorders, debilitating and toxic infections as
septicaemia etc .
 Indicated in acute as well as chronic conditions
with definite state

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 General Modalities

 Aggravation : Night ; exertion, cold food, cold

drinks, loss of vital fluids (blood etc), lack of
sleep/ diet patterns. Mental tension anxiety,
depression.
 Ameliortion : Relief from discharges (eg : acid
phos: diarr), rest

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 General features of acids (physiological and medicinal
effects )
 1. They decrease the acid secretions in the body and
increase the alkaline secretions of the body. For
example; if a quantity of citric acid is taken into the
stomach it will diminish the secretion of gastric juice. On
other hand it will increase the secretion of saliva which
is alkaline in nature.

 2. Antidotal and complimentary action to certain drugs.

 Example;
 a) Vinegar retards the action of Belladonna, but
lemonade aids the action of the remedy.
 b) Antimonium crudumwww.similima.com
will not tolerate acids but you 12
may use tamarind water.
 3. Dyspepsia :
 Vegetable acids are useful in dyspepsia.
 Example; Allow the patient to drink lemonade before
meals and we can find that the usual heart burn and sour
rising after eating are diminished. Some persons are
greatly relieved by drinking sour milk ( Lactic acid).
Muriatic acid and Hydrocyanic acid favor digestion.
Some persons have been cured of dyspepsia by eating
peach kernels which contain these acids.
 4. Antidote for intoxication.
 Vinegar ( acetic acid) has been used as an antidote for
intoxication.
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 5. Corrosive action:
 Discharges are acrid and excoriating .
 Example; Lactic acid: It will eat into every tissues
of the body . It will dissolve enamel of teeth. Dr.
Hering was in the habit of recommending that the
teeth be washed occasionally with milk cream
that had become sour by keeping 24 hours.
 6. Weakness:
 Mineral acids produce irritability of fiber with
weakness and prostration.
 Vegetable acids produce weakness without
irritability. www.similima.com 14
 7.They produce and check hemorrhages.
 Example: Acetic acid, Phosphoric acid, Sulphuric acid,
Arsenious acid.
 8.They produce pseudo membranes:
 Hence they are indicated in the treatment of diphtheria.
Example: Muriatic acid, Phosphoric acid, Sulphuric
acid, and Nitric acid. So do not permit a child,
convalescing from croup to partake of acid fruits,
because any one of these acids may tend to produce
this disease again.
 9.Debility resulting from defective nutrition especially
blood disease, blood poisoning etc.
 Example: Sulphuric acid, Phosphoric acid and
Arsenious acid, www.similima.com 15
 10. Useful for treatment of drunkards:
 Example: Sulphuric acid.
 11. Indicated in the treatment of Diabetes
Mellitus.
 Example: Phosphoric acid and Lactic acid.
 12. Many of the acids are useful in the
treatment of scurvy resulting from a diet of
salty food with deprivation of vegetables

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 Common features of Acids in detail:

 1. Antidotal action:
 a) Acetic acid: antidote anesthetics and sausage -
poisoning.
 b) Muriatic acid: It is a powerful antidote to
mercury and opium.
 c) Nitric acid : Antidotes mercury ( after its abuse
in syphilis) and kali iodide (in syphilis or non
syphilitic cases)
 d) Sulphuricum acidum: Antidotes Lead poisoning.
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 2. Corrosive action:
 a) Arsenicum album:
 Fluent coryza which is corrosive, reddening the upper lip with
burning.
 b) Carbolic acid:
 Foetid, acrid discharge from erosion of cervix. Irritating
leucorrhoea causing itching and burning.
 c) Chromic acid:
 Corrosive discharge from nose with ulceration scab.
 d) Fluoricum acidum:
 It acts on long bones causing necrosis and caries and favors the
expulsion of the necrosed part.
 It produces acrid leucorrhoea.
 e) Muriatic acid:
 Coryza with thick yellow or serous and corrosive mucus.
 f) Nitric acid :
 Discharges are offensive, www.similima.com
thin, excoriating. Discharge of thick 18
and corrosive mucus from the nose.
 3. Dyspepsia:
 a) Acetic acid:
 Burning in throat, nausea, retching and sour rising. This is found in cancer stomach. There are gnawing ulcerative
pains in stomach. Pain and burning in stomach. Profuse exhausting diarrhea with colic pains and tenderness of
abdomen. Insatiable burning thirst. Disgust for salted things and cold. Cold drinks lie heavy. Vegetables except
potatoes disagree.
 b) Ars alb:
 Cold food and drinks < stomach irritation. Complaint from drinking ice water and eating ices and fruits. The lips
are so dry and parched and cracked that the patient often licks them to moisten them. Least food or drink causes
distress or vomiting or stool or both together. Thirst for little and often. Unquenchable thirst. Want of appetite.
Colic pains in stomach, nausea, vomiting, and eructation after a meal.
 c) Benzoic acid:
 Hiccough, pressure in stomach and eructation, weak digestion.
 d) Butyric acid:
 Poor appetite. Much gas in stomach and bowels. Stomach feels heavy and overloaded. Bowels irregular.
 e) Carbolic acid:
 Burning in mouth to stomach. Constant belching, nausea, vomiting, dark olive green in color. Painful flatulent
distention of stomach and abdomen. Fermentative dyspepsia with bad taste and breath.
 f) Flouric acid:
 Frequent eructation and discharge of flatus, which gives relief. Nausea with lassitude. Fullness and pressure in
epigastrium - pressure as from weight in stomach between meals. Heat in stomach before meal. Bilious vomiting
after slight errors in diet with increased alvine discharges. Increased thirst. Craves refreshing drinks. Tongue
deeply and widely fissured in all directions.
 g) Gallic acid:
 Appetite lessened with nausea. Faint, sick, gnawing sensation in bowels; extending to stomach with an astringent
taste in mouth . Pyrosis.
 h) Hydrocyanic acid:
 Anorexia, repugnance to food. Vomiting of a black liquid. Burning pain in stomach. Fluids enter stomach with
gurgling noise. Taste sweetish, fetid, acrid and irritating. Tongue coated white , afterwards dark and dingy.
Hiccough and great prostration. Sudden cessation of all discharges -cholera sicca.
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 i) Hippuric acid:
 Acid rising. Soreness and pressure over liver.
 j) Lactic acid:
 Eructations of hot acrid fluid, which burns from stomach to throat which must be
constantly hawked up; < smoking tobacco. Constant nausea with waterbrash or vomiting
persisting for days < on rising in the morning; after breakfast. Tongue coated thick white
or yellow coating with bad taste in the morning. Increased salivation tasting salt.
 k) Muriatic acid:
 Putrid or bitter rising ; hiccough before and after dinner. Vomiting of bile at night with
and eructation . Sensation of emptiness in stomach as if it were retracted. Cannot bear
the sight or thought of meat, it is so distasteful.
 l) Nitroso-muriaticum-acidum:
 Evacuation of flatus and eructation. Food took longer to digest than usual. Sudden
increase in secretions of bile. Free, loose, yellowish, pappy stool after breakfast.
Constipation, with desire for stool.
 m) Nitric acid:
 loss of appetite. Milk is not digested. Bitter taste in mouth especially after eating.
Complaint< while eating. Dislike meat, and sugar. Vomiting from eating bread. Craving
for fat food, earth, chalk, lime, and herring. Waterbrash after drinking quickly.
Borborygmus.
 n) Oxalic acid:
 Pain in stomach < by thinking the complaint, and > by eating. Eructation, nausea,
rumbling in abdomen, and urging for stool after eating. Eructation with hiccough.
Unquenchable thirst. Morning diarrhea. Pain in back > after stool. Diarrhea after coffee.20
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 p) Phosphoric acid:
 Aversion to coffee. Violent thirst for cold milk or for beer. Insatiable thirst excited by a sensation of
dryness in whole body. Pressure in stomach after a meal; with confusion of head , uneasiness,
fullness and disposition to sleep , or dejection as if about to faint. Nausea at sight of food. Sour
vomiting. Painless, fetid, yellowish diarrhea.
 q) Picricum acidum:
 Eructation ; empty, sour, of gas and ingesta. Waterbrash. Nausea on retiring . Weight in pit of
stomach with ineffectual desire to eructate. Jaundice.
 r) Salicylicum acidum:
 Nausea, gagging, waterbrash, frequent vomiting - erosions and ulcer in stomach and bowels.
Burning in epigastric region. Fermentative dyspepsia. Putrid belching. Constipated bowels. Cholera
infantum. Caused expulsion of tape worms.
 s) Sarcolactic acidum:
 Nausea. Uncontrollable vomiting even of water, followed by extreme weakness; especially in case
of influenza.
 t) Sulphuric acid:
 vomiting in morning. Burning in chest and stomach. Sour, acid or foul eructation. Water is not
tolerated, unless qualified with alcohol it chills the stomach. Rumbling and borborygmi in
abdomen. After eating, pain in stomach and rising of food by mouthful. Lassitude and flatulence
after drinking milk.
 u) Sulphurosum acidum:
 Ulcerative stomatitis. Headache relieved by vomiting. Loss of appetite. Obstinate constipation.
 v) Tannic acid:
 Loss of appetite. Obstinate vomiting of bilious substance. Violent pain in stomach. Obstinate
constipation.
 w) Tartaricum acidum:

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Pasty taste in morning, ceases in eating. Nausea and eructations, continuous vomiting. Vomited 21
matter deep green. Pain in umbilical region. Coffee ground colored stool.
 4. Pseudomembranes:
 a) Acetic acid:
 White false membranes in throat. Children thirsty, but swallow with difficulty
even a teaspoonful of water. Lining membrane of larynx and trachea covered
with a fibrinous exudation as in true croup.
 b) Arsenic album:
 Burning in throat> by eating or drinking hot things. Inflammation and
gangrene of the throat. Spasmodic constriction of throat and of the esophagus,
with inability to swallow.
 c) Carbolic acid:
 Diphtheria with fetid breath, regurgitation on swallowing liquids; but little
pain. Fauces are red, covered with exudation.
 e) Chromic acid: Diphtheria; sore throat. Tough mucus with inclination to
swallow it.
 c) Muriatic acid:Mucus lining of throat and fauces deep dark red, swollen and
burning, covered with grayish-white diphtheretic membrane like deposits.
Attempting to swallow produces violent spasms and choking.
 d) Sulphuric acid:
 Thick yellow membrane on fauces, sticks like glue. Stringy, lemon - yellow
mucus hangs from posterior nares in diphtheria.

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 5.Debility:
 a) Acetic acid:Excessive wasting and debility. Anaemia with waxy pallor of face.
 b) Ars. Alb:
 Prostration with desire to move or be moved constantly. The patient is exhausted from
slightest exertion. Anemia, chlorosis, pyaemia. Rapid failure of strength wishes to lie
down. Emaciation and atrophy of the whole body with colliquative sweats < during
night. Earthy face eyes sunken with dark ring surrounding them.
 c) Benzoic acid: Great weakness, weariness and lassitude with increased perspiration.
 d) Boracicum acidum: Collapse.
 e) Flouric acid: Lassitude - Loss of strength, limbs go to sleep.
 f) Gallic acid: Weakness with irritability. Profuse night sweats.
 g) Hydrocyanicum acid:
 Speedy failing and weakness of limbs; especially thighs. Extreme weakness and
weariness. Nervous weakness. Diminution of vital heat. Continued inclination to sleep
coma vigil.
 h) Lacticum acidum:
 Weakness as if from exercise with rheumatic pains in the bones. Debility with
weariness of limbs.
 i) Muriaticum acidum:
 Muscular poisoning from blood - poisoning; going on to paralysis; finally of brain or
heart. Excessive depression on sitting down, the eyelids close, the lower jaw hangs
down, he slides down in bed. Tottering gait, from weakness of thighs and knees.
Paralysis of tongue and sphincter ani.
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 j) Nitroso- muriaticum acidum: Weak, physically and mentally
depressed.
 k) Nitric acid:
 Great weakness and general lassitude, with trembling, heaviness
of legs and desire to remain lying down, especially in evening or
morning. Inclination to sleep during day from weakness with
vertigo.
 l) Phosphoric acid:
 Mental weakness. Marked action on emotional and sensorial
faculties, a drowsy, depressed, apathetic state is produced. Stupor,
from which he is easily aroused and is then fully conscious.
Indifference prostrated and stupefied with grief, effects of
disappointed love. Confused mind. The legs tremble in walking
and limbs are as difficult to control as the thoughts. Though the
weakness is very great the patient is rested by a short sleep. It is
suited to persons of originally strong constitution, weakened by
loss of fluids, excesses, violent acute diseases; chagrin; or a long
succession of moral emotions. Weakness of sexual organs with
onanism and little sexual desire. Exhaustion after coition. Scanty
milk with debility and great www.similima.com
apathy. Great weakness after walking.24
 m) Picric acid: Anemia, brain fag. Cancerous cachexia. Spinal exhaustion.
Mental prostration after reading a little, after writing a little. Weakness from a
short walk.
 n) Salicylicum acidum: Weakness and faintness. Prostration after influenza.
 o) Sarcolactic acidum:
 Violent retching and great prostration in epidemic influenza after Arsenic alb
had failed. Muscular prostration with tired feeling , worse any exertion. Tired
feeling in morning on getting up. Paralytic weakness. Wrist tires easily from
writing . extreme weakness from climbing stairs. Arms feel as if no strength in
them.
 p) Sulphuricum acidum:
 Sulphuric acid is suited to cases where the weakness is out of proportion to the
disease. Weakness seems to come from deep seated dyscrasia. Useful for
inebriates. Nervous fatigue. Weakness with trembling of the body.
 q) Tannic acid: Weakness with Palpitation.
 r) Tartaricum acidum:
 Paralysis of thighs and legs. Extreme weakness in evening. Feels very tired can
scarcely drag himself along. Paralytic debility. Frequent yawning.

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 6.Haemorrhage:
 a) Acetic acid:
 Hemorrhage from bowel. Metrorrhagia after parturition with great
thirst. Haemoptysis.
 b) Ars. Alb:
 Metrorrhagia, Haemoptysis, resulting in anemia or chlorosis.
Violent bleeding of nose. Swelling and bleeding of gums.
Catamenia too early too copious, attended by much suffering.

 c) Benzoic acid: Epistaxis

 d) Carbolic acid: Bloody stool like scrapings of intestine.
 d) Chromic acid: Haemorrhoids- bleeding . Bloody foul smelling
lochia.
 e) Gallicum acidum: Pulmonary hemorrhage in phthisis. Excessive
menstruation. Nose bleed. Hemophilia.
 f) Hippuric acid:Menstrual flow for three days with complete
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relief of muscular and joint pains.
 g) Hydrocyanicum acidum:Haemoptysis with sharp pains in
chest.
 h) Lactic acid: Nose bleed - every morning.
 i) Muriatic acid:
 Continuous discharge from nose. Scorbutic gums, swollen, easily
bleeding ulcerating. Discharge of blood during stools- bleeding
hemorrhoids. Scurvy.
 j) Nitric acid:
 Ulcers are easily bleeding. The dressing causes bleeding and
every touch causes splinter like pains. Frequent hemorrhages,
bright red, profuse. Hemorrhage from bowels with pain after
stool. In pthisical cases there is frequent hemorrhages, bright red,
profuse with sharp stitches through right chest to scapula.
Haematuria, bright red, profuse with strangury and strong odor
like horse's urine. Hemorrhages occurring in cachetic women
after confinement or abortion. Epistaxis < morning, excited by
weeping . Blood is black. Gums bleed, are white and swollen.
 Hemorrhoids- bleeding after every evacuation.
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 k) Oxalicum acid:
 Gums bleed and are painful in spots. Blood coagulate
very slowly. Petechiae appearing on face, head, chest
and nates.
 l) Phosphoric acidum:
 Scurvy- gums bleeding easily, swollen, stand off from
teeth. Hemorrhage is passive, profuse and dark. Nose
bleed at the beginning of typhus. Uterine ulcer with
copious, putrid, bloody discharge. Too copious menses.
 m) Picric acid: Haemoglobinuria
 n) Salicylicum acidum: Retinal hemorrhage. Haematuria.
 o) Sulphuric acid: Scurvy. Epistaxis in evening. Swelling
and easy bleeding of gums. Discharge of blood during
evacuation. Long continued Haemoptysis.
 p) Tannic acid: Haemorrhagic pharyngitis. Painless
bloody discharge from bowels.
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 7. Diabetes:

 a) Acetic acid:
 Urine increased in quantity , pale, phosphatic. Diabetes
with burning, unending and unquenchable thirst and
great debility.
 b) Ars alb: Frequent inclination to urinate with excessive
exhaustion from least exertion.
 c) Benzoicum acidum: Nocturnal enuresis with strong
smelling dark urine, urinous odor is highly intensifid.
 d) Boric acid: Frequent and urgent desire to urinate.
Quantity of urine double. Albumen in urine.
 e) Carbolic acid: Diabetes with almost black urine.
Irritable bladder with frequent urination at night.
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 f) Flouric acid: Indicated after phosphoric acid. Free discharge of
light colored urine. Whitish purple colored sediment in urine.
 g) Gallic acid: Excessive dryness of mouth and throat with
increased urine.
 h) Hydrocyanic acid:Frequent emission of aqueous urine or pale
or pale yellow urine, depositing a turbid cloud.
 i) Lacticum acidum:Frequent desire to urinate large quantities.
Urinate frequently day and night, the attempt to retain it causes
pain.
 j) Muriatic acid:
 Frequent desire to urinate with abundant emission-immoderate
emission of aqueous urine- both day and night.
 Patient cannot urinate without having the bowels moved at the
same time.
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 k) Nitric acid:Frequent want to urinate which is fetid; offensive.
 l) Oxalic acid:
 Thinking of urinating produce desire for urination. Frequent and copious
urination; which is clear, straw-colored. Oxaluria and albuminuria.
 m) Phosphoric acid:
 The child passes a great quantity of urine. Polyuria with dry mouth and throat;
with history of sexual excess or severe mental or emotional overstrain. White,
milky urine. The urine may be passed clear but, turns milky at once and is very
offensive. Frequent and profuse emission of aqueous urine which immediately
deposits a thick white cloud.
 n) Picric acid:
 Frequent micturition in morning . Urine dark yellow with strong odor . specific
gravity increased. Urine contained much indican , numerous granular and fatty
degenerated epithelium.
 o) Salicylicum acidum:
 Diabetes Mellitus- albuminuria. Urine - clear, brown; three hours after passage
has a green tinge and a feathery deposit of crystals of Salicylic acid.
 p) Sulfuric acid: Diabetes with lassitude, despondency. Emission of urine at
night. Urine watery and as if it contained casts.

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 There are two reasons why people learn
 one because someone said you can't and
 the other because someone said you can.'
 Howard Wilson
 Retired NZ Principal

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 My job is creating an environment where
teachers continually learn'.
 US Innovative Principal

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 Thank you

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