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Remedy reference

Carbo vegetabilis

(Carbo vegetabilis · Vegetable charcoal)

The remedy of collapse and gas. Carbo vegetabilis is associated with sluggish digestion and bloating, and with people who have never felt quite right since a previous illness.

Digestion | Fatigue

Source

Charcoal made from wood, traditionally birch or beech

Kingdom

Plant

Abbreviation

Carb-v.

Home acute kit

Commonly included

The classic picture

(a remedy is chosen when the whole picture fits the person, not from a single symptom)

Heavy bloating, especially in the upper abdomen; even plain food seems to turn to gas

Relief from belching

Craves fresh air and wants to be fanned, though may feel cold to the touch

Weak, depleted and sluggish, as if vitality is low

Tends to feel better

Belching

Being fanned or fresh air

Tends to feel worse

Rich, fatty food

Warm, damp weather

Evening

How it compares

(remedies that are often confused with Carbo vegetabilis)

  • Lycopodium

    (Lycopodium clavatum)

    Also gassy, but Lycopodium's bloating is lower in the abdomen and worse in late afternoon.

    Read moreCompare side by side
  • Nux vomica

    (Strychnos nux-vomica)

    Nux for the irritable, overindulged digestive upset; Carbo veg for weakness and gas.

    Read moreCompare side by side

Side-by-side comparisons

Free printable guide

12 remedies to keep at home

Carbo vegetabilis is one of the 12 remedies in my free home-kit guide: when to think of each one, how to tell them apart and a printable checklist.

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From the classic texts

“Disintegration and imperfect oxidation is the keynote of this remedy.”

William Boericke, Pocket Manual of Homoeopathic Materia Medica (1901)

“Persons who have never fully recovered from the effects of some previous illness.”

Henry C. Allen, Keynotes and Characteristics (1898)

Articles that mention Carbo vegetabilis

Renewing Your Digestion: Homeopathy for Bloating, Gas and Low Energy

How to Improve Digestion Naturally with Homeopathic Remedies

Homeopathic Support During Pregnancy: What’s Safe and When

Improve Your Digestion with These Homeopathic Solutions

Looking for more than a quick remedy?

Acute remedies can be a starting point for short-term complaints. Ongoing or recurring issues call for a full case: a detailed conversation about your physical, mental and emotional symptoms, so the remedy fits you as a whole person.

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This page is for education only and is not medical advice. Homeopathy is complementary care, not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment by a licensed medical provider. Seek medical care for severe, worsening or emergency symptoms. Please view our Disclaimer.