The aim of this randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was to analyze the effect of using Bach’s emergency compound, Five-Flower essence, on the stress level of mothers with premature newborns.
The study was conducted with 117 postpartum women. They were divided into intervention (with five-flower) and control groups. Their children were admitted to a Maternity Hospital in São Paulo, Brazil, from June 2019 to May 2021. The use of the Five-Flower essence was proposed during hospitalization (4 drops every 15 min four times a day) and at home (16 drops a day at pre-determined times) in the ten days after the first intervention. The pre-and post-intervention parameters were evaluated using the Instrument Parental Stress Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and cortisol analysis. Student’s T, Mann-Whitney, Chi-square, Fisher’s exact tests, and Generalized Estimating Equation models were used to analyze the data. The 5 % significance level was considered in statistical tests.
The groups were homogeneous regarding sociodemographic, obstetric, and neonatal characteristics (p > 0.05). Mean stress scores were calculated for the control (3.75) and intervention (3.82) groups before intervention and a range was observed for the control (2.75-3.44) and intervention (2.55-3.54) groups after the intervention; the difference between groups was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Mean cortisol levels were calculated for the control (3.53) and intervention (3.45) groups before intervention and a range was observed for the control (3.38-2.75) and intervention (2.32-2.86) groups after intervention, showing distinct declines in the groups but without statistical difference (p > 0.05).
The authors concluded that the use of the Five-Flower essence as a non-pharmacological therapy is effective in reducing the stress and cortisol levels in mothers of premature newborns admitted to neonatal and semi-intensive care units.
This is odd!
The remedy does not contain relevant doese of pharmacologically active molecules (other than alcohol). This means that, in this study, the authors tested one placebo against another one. Why then is there a differnce in the outcome?
I read the paper carefully in an attempt to find out. Here is what might have happened (the article does not disclose all the relevant details, so I can only guess):
- The placebo which the authors fail to describe was a water solution or a solution that tasted different than the verum.
- The authors do, however, state this: “Regarding blinding, the manufacturer of the flower essences previously identified the bottles as A and B, one of which was the intervention and the other the placebo.”
- It is possible that the patients were de-blinded, meaning one or two knew how the Bach remedy should taste and communicated this to the several other patients.
- In this case, the expectation of patients affected the results accordingly. In other words, the results are due to a placebo effect.
In any case, the conclusion (even if the ‘Five-Flower essence’ did work exactly as described) is far too optimistic. Before anyone might accept the results, we need an INDEPENDENT replication of this dubious study.
11 Responses to Effect of Bach flower therapy in mothers of premature newborns
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In Germany in the 1990s, Bach flower remedies were commonly used for a wide range of complaints, from anxiety to gastrointestinal problems.
A childhood friend of mine relied on them for what she believed were improvements in her anxiety and occasional aggressive behavior.
After about a year and significant expense, she stopped taking the remedies, assuming the issue had been resolved. When her symptoms returned soon afterward, she finally sought medical advice from an endocrinologist and was diagnosed with hypothyroidism – Hashimoto.
There are plenty of cases like this; diaagnoses are being delayed, and if it happens to be cancer, the victim might also pay with her life.
Wishful thinking and blind hope have never cured or improved any medical condition.
“Wishful thinking and blind hope have never cured or improved any medical condition.”
Objective cure or improvements: probably not.
Subjective improvements: short-term improvements have been observed in some patients.
“The flower essence was prepared by a Brazilian company in 30 ml bottles identified as A and B. One of them was composed of mineral water (20 ml) and cognac (10 ml; used as a preservative) and the other of mineral water (20 ml), cognac (10 ml), and the emergency compound (2 drops).”
“at a dose of four drops diluted in 20 mL of water”
A waste of cognac and funds, but they do describe the placebo and it’s not water, the 2 drops in this remedy would make a difference in taste after putting it in 20ml of water? it is supposed to be “essence” without any real trace, rescue which is a trademark with the same ingredients uses 5x homeopathic dilution, it is unclear how diluted the “emergency compound” is.
I doubt the taste was any different, maybe the smell from the remedy bottle?
I would believe that one of the letters A or B is more soothing for women before accepting flower essence is effective.
The original Bach Flower Remedies were developed by English physician Edward Bach in the 1930s and licensed and distributed worldwide by Nelsons, a British company.
I wonder if this product is still on the market?
38 Bach™ Original Flower Remedies
https://www.nelsons.com/pages/bach
Also vended by various peddlers of woo.
It’s disappointing that such products are still being sold without proper certification or credible evidence of their effectiveness.
@Sieglinde
https://www.nelsons.com/pages/bach
This is probably the most expensive water on the market, at £9 per 20 ml = £ 450 or $594 per litre.
Size matters, when it comes to error bars.
good point!