It contains a mixture of star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum), rock rose (Helianthemum nummularium), impatiens (Impatiens glandulifera), cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera), and clematis (Clematis vitalba). "Rescue Remedy", also known as "Five Flower Remedy", is the only combination of BFRs determined by Bach himself and functions as an all purpose emergency agent in situations of acute anxiety or distress. Because the relief of anxiety is a major factor in pain relief, proponents of BFRs have suggested that BFRs also have the potential to function as a therapeutic agent for pain. Three BFRs are helpful to unblock the energy flow in patients without obvious symptoms: Wild Oat, Holly, and Star of Bethlehem. A person who suffers from overwhelming guilt might be offered pine as a type remedy, and chronically indecisive people could benefit from Scleranthus. In addition, some BFRs are categorized as "type" remedies and are specific to a certain character trait or disposition. For example, the flower 'impatiens' is used for impatience and irritability, 'mimulus' for fear of known things, shyness, and timidity, and 'olive' for those that are drained of energy. The individual patient is prescribed particular remedies depending on the acute problem at hand, which should be individually tailored and adjusted during the course of therapy, typically over weeks to months. However, it has been suggested that BFRs could be dangerous for recovering alcoholics due to their alcohol content.īach's 38 flower remedies each address one of the seven psychological causes of illness: fear, uncertainty, insufficient interest in present circumstances, loneliness, oversensitivity to influences and ideas, despondency or despair and overcare for the welfare of others. BFRs do not contain pharmacologically relevant remnants of the original flowers and are considered safe to use in combination with other medications, as well as by pregnant women, children, babies and the elderly. They can be used individually or in combination with up to seven other tinctures. The remedies can be taken orally diluted in a glass of water, or applied directly to pulse points such as the wrists, temples and behind the ears. The liquid, called the mother tincture, is filtered and mixed with brandy, which acts as a preservative. In both methods, the plant matter is removed, and, according to Bach, the water retains the vibrations or energy of the flower. In the sun method, fully opened flower heads still fresh with dew are floated on the surface of pure spring water in a glass bowl and left for a few hours in the sunshine, whereas in the boiling method, used for trees and bushes, the branches and leaves are boiled in water for half an hour. BFRs are prepared in two ways following Bach's precise directions: the sun method and the boiling method. Only flowers that grow naturally in the wild are suitable for preparation. Our analysis of the four controlled trials of BFRs for examination anxiety and ADHD indicates that there is no evidence of benefit compared with a placebo intervention. Few controlled prospective trials of BFRs for psychological problems and pain exist. We conclude that, based on the reported adverse events in these six trials, BFRs are probably safe. Most of the available evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of BFRs has a high risk of bias. Only four of the six studies included for safety explicitly reported adverse events.
We did not find any controlled prospective studies regarding the efficacy of BFRs for pain. Due to the number and quality of the studies the strength of the evidence is low or very low. Three RCTs of BFRs for students with examination anxiety, and one RCT of BFRs for children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) showed no overall benefit in comparison to placebo.
Resultsįour randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and two additional retrospective, observational studies were identified and included in the review.
#BACH FLOWER TRIAL#
Two authors abstracted data and determined risk of bias using a recognised rating system of trial quality. For safety, we also included retrospective, observational studies with more than 30 subjects. For efficacy, we included all prospective studies with a control group. We searched MEDLINE ®, Embase, AMED, and the Cochrane Library from inception until June 2008 and performed a hand-search of references from relevant key articles. We assessed whether Bach Flower Remedies (BFRs) are safe and efficacious for these indications by performing a systematic review of the literature. Bach Flower Remedies are thought to help balance emotional state and are commonly recommended by practitioners for psychological problems and pain.
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