Bach flower therapy

Bach flower therapy is an unproven health treatment that, according to a U.K. Parliament study, asserts that flowers contain the life force of a plant and that this is then imprinted into water through "sun infusion", producing a plant extract that is diluted before administration. This is then used to create remedies, which are usually ingested by the patient, and are purported to help them let go of "negative thoughts". The practice was originated and developed by English homeopath Edward Bach (pronounced "Batch", 1886–1936). The 38 specific plants, and the emotional states for which they are indicated, are listed on the Catalogs subpage.

There is no rational or scientific basis for believing that Bach flower therapy would have any effects beyond those that are induced by suggestion - i.e. placebo effects, and it is not something that has been considered worthy of any serious scientific attention. There have been a few assessments of its effects on patients, and it is thought to probably be safe. Like other healing rituals that work through the power of suggestion, it may have some benefits in relieving anxiety, with some consequential health benefits.

For healing rituals generally, their effectiveness in evoking benefits from the placebo effect depends on getting patients to believe in the possibility of their efficacy. Different healing rituals appeal to different patient groups according to how open they are to mystical, religious, or quasi scientific explanations, but in all cases the suggestive power is bolstered by an elaborate explanatory narrative the purpose of which is to convey a sense of apparent profundity to the ritual.

Bach therapy and phytotherapy

While Bach remedies are derived from plants, the principle is different than phytotherapy (i.e., herbalism). Whereas herbalism assumes the existence of significant healing ingredient(s) in the plant extract, and thus presents a quasi-scientific narrative explanation, Bach remedies are given a mystical, or supernatural narrative. Bach uses the term "signature", said to be related to the "signatures" of Paracelsus, invoking the authority of an ancient wisdom. The remedies are said to work on a mental level that transfers the "vibrations" or signature; the vibrations resonate with inherent vibrations believed to be in human cells. According to Bach practitioners, the remedies do not have detectable levels of active chemicals. Independent microchemical analysis does not appear to be available.

Bach therapy and aromatherapy

While there may seem to be a similarity in that flowers contain essential oils, the preparation methods are quite different. Bach extracts use, in chemical terms, solvent extraction, while essential oils are usually extracted with steam distillation.

Bach therapy and homeopathy

Bach flower therapy and homeopathy have similarities in that they involve remedies intended to improve a vital force, and they both have a concept of potentizing. At that point, they diverge significantly. Preparation of the remedies, however, is different. Bach remedies are not selected using the homeopathic principle of the Laws of Similars.

The means of Bach remedy preparation uses a method, described in the British Homeopathic Pharmacopeia, that is used to prepare homeopathic mother tinctures. One involves extraction using ethanol, of a specific type of brandy and extracting with sunshine, while the other involves boiling the flowers with water. Once extracted, however, the tincture is used in a very different manner than in homeopathy.

Bach potentizing

There is dilution, but to what homeopaths call a 5X dilution, which gives a much higher concentration than used in homeopathy.

Efficacy testing

Tbere are a limited number of trials, with small samples; only abstracts were available for this article. They primarily dealt with anxiety. One double-blinded randomized controlled trial, comparing a Bach extract against placebo, reduced situational anxiety in a group of 111 patients.