Acidum Gallicum: Passive Haemorrhage and Bleeding

What Is Acidum Gallicum?

Acidum Gallicum is a homeopathic remedy prepared from gallic acid (C₇H₆O₅), a naturally occurring organic acid found in oak galls, tea, gallnuts, and many plants. Gallic acid has been used historically as an astringent in conventional medicine, which is consistent with its homeopathic indications. Clarke's Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica and Allen's Keynotes and Characteristics both document its proving and clinical applications, centred on passive haemorrhage from various mucous surfaces.

Key Characteristics

• Passive haemorrhage — dark, persistent bleeding without active arterial force
• Haemoptysis (coughing up blood) with a passive, oozing quality
• Haematuria — blood in the urine, often painless and persistent
• Uterine haemorrhage, particularly of a passive character between periods or in metrorrhagia
• Bowel bleeding with dark, tarry, or persistent rectal blood
• A general tendency to slow, passive bleeding from multiple sites

Mental Picture

Acidum Gallicum does not present a well-defined or strongly individualised mental picture in the classical texts. Clarke and Allen focus primarily on the physical indications. The general state may include anxiety related to the haemorrhagic condition, but no distinctive mental keynotes separate this remedy from others in the haemorrhage group.

Physical Picture

The defining physical feature of Acidum Gallicum is passive haemorrhage — bleeding that is slow, dark, venous in character, and persistent rather than sudden or profuse. Clarke distinguishes it from the more active haemorrhage remedies by its oozing, non-forceful quality. Sites include the lungs (haemoptysis), kidneys (haematuria), uterus (metrorrhagia), and bowel. The astringent nature of gallic acid in crude form is reflected in the remedy's power to arrest this type of bleeding when correctly indicated.

When Is It Considered?

Homeopaths may consider Acidum Gallicum when:

• Passive, dark, slow haemorrhage occurs from any mucous surface
• Haemoptysis with dark, oozing blood rather than bright arterial bleeding is present
• Haematuria is persistent, painless, and of a passive character
• Uterine bleeding is dark and continuous rather than acute and profuse
• Bowel bleeding is dark and slow, suggesting venous rather than arterial origin

This article is for educational purposes only. Homeopathic remedies should be selected under the guidance of a qualified practitioner. Any unexplained bleeding requires prompt medical evaluation.