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Natron, Sodium Carbonate

Soda, Alkali of Soda, Mineral Alkali, Crystallised Alkali, Nitrum Aegypticum, Black Ash (impure), Kali (impure)
Natron and Trona (naturally occurring hydrated sodium carbonate)
Aphronitrum (a form of native Sodium carbonate, Dioscorides)
Bul Tog  ཨུལཏོག་ (Native, Tibetan Medicine)
Sajji-Khar when from plants; Sajji-Mati when from the Earth (Unani)
Nitrum
Hortus sanitatis, 1491

Salsola australis; contains up to 30% sodium carbonate
Photo by Harry Rose (Wikimedia)

Minerological name:
Sodium Carbonate (Na2CO3)
Natron: naturally occurring sodium carbonate decahydrate (Na2CO3·10H2O) with sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3)
Trona, natural sodium carbonate with admixture of sodium bicarbonate

Parts used:
Purified Salt
It was often used in impure form, derived from the ashes of Saltworts, Salsola spp. (Glasswort) or Sea plants. This impure form contains admixture of Sodium sulphate and Sodium chloride.

Temperature & Taste:
Warm, very dry. Salty, Sweet

Uses:
1. Promotes Digestion, Reduces Acidity:
-Indigestion, poor appetite
-flatulence, colic, abdominal cramping
-Food Stagnation, especially from Grains (Tibetan)
-antacid in Heartburn

2. Clears Phlegm, Stops Cough:
-Cough and Asthma with excess Phlegm

3. Clears Damp, Promotes Urine:
-fluid retention, anuria

4. Resists Poison:
-Poisoning (Tibetan Medicine)

5. Externally:
-applied to inflammations
-as a wash for Burns
-topically for scaly skin diseases
-topically for Septic Wounds (Tibetan Medicine, Trona)


Dose:
60–180mg

Substitutes:
1. Salt or Potassium carbonate
2. Sodium Carbonate is a substitute for Sal Ammoniac (Unani)
3. Topically, Copper Sulphate or Subacetate of Copper

Correctives:
1. Clarified Butter (Ghee), Milk, Oils

Main Combinations:

Major Formulas:
Six White Formula (Dkar po drug sbyor)

Cautions:
1. Avoid overdose. Large doses may cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. 2 grams can be fatal.

Main Preparations used: