Alkahest

Alkahest ( Alcahest ) is a hypothetical universal solvent that is capable of any substance, including gold to dissolve. Many alchemists searched for this solvent.

Alkahest is a word that may have been formed by Paracelsus from Arabic words. Maybe Paracelsus also knew from medieval writings the liquid sal alkali, a solution of potassium hydroxide in alcohol, which can dissolve many substances. Paracelsus ' recipe consisted of caustic lime, alcohol and calcium carbonate. He believed that this was the Philosopher's Stone. A problem with the alkahest would have storage. If that is all dissolved, then each container in which it was stored. The alchemist Philalethes has then adjusted the definition: Alkahest dissolves material connections in the elements that make up the connections.

Other sources claim that alkahest be the name of the elixir of life, which will obtained from the Philosopher's Stone.

From today's perspective, water can be seen as a kind of universal solution, there can be many substances dissolve in water due to the chemical polarity.