Butyricum Acidum

(Butyric Acid)

Pharmacy

Butyricum acidum. Butyric acid. A volatile acid obtained chiefly from butter, being found there in the form of an ester, a triglyceride, and as such constitutes the chief fat of butter and milk.

Historical dose: Tincture and all potencies.

Clinical

• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Anorexia
• Belching
• Cervicitis
• Cramps
• Dysidrosis
• Dysuria
• Edema
• Flatulence
• Foot sweat
• Gingivitis
• Headache
• Leucorrhea
• Onychomycosis
• Palpitations

Homeopathic

Butyric acid occurs in the animal organism under a variety of conditions. It constitutes the chief fat of butter and milk. Butyric acid set free by fermentation causes a rancid taste and the odor of contaminated butter.

When milk sours, milk sugar is converted into lactic acid by the lactic ferment of various bacteria. The lactic acid is then acted upon by butyric acid ferment contained in the air.

It may be present in the gastric contents under abnormal conditions, with a markedly diminished hydrochloric acid secretion. In excessive fermentation in the enteric tract, butyric acid may be formed in significant amounts.

Abdominal flatulence. Tremendous formation of gas in the whole belly, much belching of gas, a great deal of gas is passed at the call to stool, which in many cases fails to come.

Marked straining at stool. Stools are small like lumps. Intermittent belly cramps which are below the umbilicus. Pain in the ileocecal region. Complete loss of appetite. Fetid leucorrhea. Offensive sweating of the soles of feet.

Mind

Anxiety and fear. Worries over trifles. Constant fear and nervousness. Impulsive thoughts of suicide, brooding.

Abdomen

Gastric and abdominal flatulence. Cramp in abdomen below umbilicus. Bowels irregular. Atony of the liver and stomach. Epigastric and peri-umbilical pains, awaking at about 2 a.m. Pain in the ileocecal region with feeling of cramp, relieved by expulsion of gas.

Back

Tired feeling and dull pain in small of back, worse walking. Pain in ankles and up back of leg. Pain low down in back and limbs. Ankylosing spondylitis. Morbus coxae senilis.

Female

Foul-smelling leucorrhea, like horses' urine. Purulent cervicitis. Dysuria.

Food

Anorexia. Poor appetite.

Head

Headache makes him apprehensive about trifles, worse going upstairs or rapid motion. Dull, hazy ache of head.

Heart

Palpitations, aggravated by eating, with a feeling of abdominal plethora.

Kidneys

Urgent and pressing need to urinate, especially for women. Urine malodorous, smelling like asparagus. Amorphous urate deposits.

Limbs

Dull aching of lumbar and sacral regions, worse standing, spreading towards the hip. Dull aching of arms, legs, and calves. Cold feet, with abundant, fetid perspiration. Edema of the feet during menses.

Modalities

Worse at night. Worse fast walking. Worse going upstairs. Worse during menses.

Mouth

Fetid odor in the mouth. Profuse salivation. Gingivitis. Gums tinged with blood. Gingival secretions, which are offensive smelling and more profuse during menses. Painful gums, worse during menses.

Perspiration

Perspiration on slight exertion. Profuse, offensive foot sweat.

Rectum

Sudden nocturnal cramps with an urgent need to go to stool. Offensive smelling stools, chestnut or light yellow in color. Feeling of heaviness in rectum with pain in the anus. Stool accompanied by pain and straining.

Skin

The fingernails crumble away. Sudamina. Dysidrosis of the palms and soles. Onychomycosis.

Sleep

Sleep disturbed, owing to digestive complaints. Pronounced sleeplessness, dreams of serious nature while asleep.

Stomach

Much gas in stomach and bowels. Cramps in pit of stomach, worse at night. Stomach feels heavy and overloaded.

Comments

The following provings were conducted at the Hahnemann Hospital of Philadelphia, upon students at that institution. The students took the 3c potency of the remedy every two hours; in all, the proving was carried on for approximately seven weeks.

The remedy induces a peculiar effect on the superficial part of the body. Pronounced and awfully malodorous foot sweat.

Students at the Hahnemann College often had to constantly change their socks, a thing quite foreign to the provers under normal conditions.

Crumbling away of the fingernails. Aggravated backache.

All the symptoms are decidedly worse at night. Pronounced sleeplessness.

Relations

Compare:

1. Bapt. - Putrid smelling breath. Fetid diarrhea and putrid stools. Mental confusion, illusion that the body is double.
2. Verat. - Prostration, intense delirium, feeling of chill running over the whole body and cold sweating on forehead, hands, and face. Abdominal colic with copious diarrhea, followed by extreme weakness.
3. Nux-m. - Dryness of the mucous membranes, thirst, gastric and abdominal distention. Constipation with difficulty in expelling stools. Amenorrhea with leucorrhea.

References

Anshutz.