Paper summaries:
4.1 Pachero et al. Bach flower remedies: validation of analytical methodology by high performance liquid chromatography
http://www.conjecturas.org/index.php/edicoes/article/view/2228
This paper identifies the secondary metabolite 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (HNQ) in the BFR Impatiens (obtained from the plant Impatiens glandulifera), using the technique High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). A secondary metabolite is not used directly in the growth, development or reproduction of the plant but rather for e.g. defence. This chemical marker could potentially be used for quality control.
The mobile phase was methanol and trifluoroacetic acid (0.05%) and the standard solution prepared by dissolving HNQ in a mixture of methanol and water. The retention time of HNQ was 9.37 minutes. Detection was by UV-VIS spectroscopy at 244 nm and the method was validated by considering parameters of linearity, range, accuracy, specificity, limit of detection and quantification, precision and robustness. A calibration curve was prepared by measuring peak area of the 244 nm peak at differing concentrations of HNQ. The experiment on Impatiens BFR, obtained from the Bach Centre, was run three times. Using the calibration curve, the concentration of HNQ was 0.087 μg in 20 μL Impatiens sample with a deviation of 0%.
Comments: The authors present a robust method for validating the authenticity of the raw materials for production of Impatiens BFR.
They obtained a sample of Impatiens from the Bach Centre but are unclear which type of sample – reading the paper as a whole, we can probably assume it was of mother tincture.
The authors state that the absence of rigorous analysis can be harmful both for the growth of this science and for the consumer, as the lack of accurate tests can contribute to the non-adherence of health professionals to this therapeutic practice and place doubt on the result of the treatment and, consequently, affect the relationship of trust between the client and the company.
This paper provides a methodology for routine standardization and authenticity of raw materials, in such a way that the process could be evaluated by the competent bodies. More research on suitable markers for the other BFRs would be required before introduction.
Summary: A robust method of testing for the presence of Impatiens glandulifera in the BFR Impatiens via the chemical marker 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone is detailed using HPLC combined with UV-VIS spectroscopy.
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4.2 Walton et al. Bach flower remedies and Psychological Counselling for Women Victims of Psychological Violence
http://scielo.sld.cu/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1561-31942019000600792
This is an observational study carried out in a polyclinic in Cuba. The sample consisted of 15 women with emotional disturbances attributable to psychological violence from their male partners. Their symptoms were evaluated using the “38 Bach Flowers Test” and up to seven remedies prescribed to each person. Centaury, Agrimony, Cerato, Walnut, Gorse, Mímulus, Wild Rose, Pine, Larch, Star of Bethlehem and Sweet Chestnut are the remedies mentioned in the text.
The women received six sessions of counselling over three months, with evaluations repeated at monthly intervals. During this time, they were also taking the Bach mix determined before the counselling began. Symptoms of fear, guilt or self-reproach, lack of self-confidence, hopelessness and helplessness, emotional dependence, low self-esteem, previous psychological traumas, uncertainty, depression and anxiety generally lessened during the course of the study.
Nine of the 15 women showed a satisfactory overall improvement, defined as a reduction in emotional symptoms of at least 60% measured using the 38 Bach Flowers Test.
Comment: As would be expected, the women benefited from this combined intervention. Strengths of the study design are the individual selection of remedies and the detailed interviews. However, it does not enable the efficacy of Bach flowers to be assessed. In the absence of a control group, it is impossible to tell whether the remedies enhanced the benefits of the counselling (or vice versa). Use of the 38 Bach Flower Test to determine which remedies are required is not optimal. Nor is keeping the same mixture throughout the course of treatment. Authors talk about the evolution of symptoms but miss the opportunity to respond to this by changing the patient’s remedy mix to maximise the beneficial effects of the remedies. An example of the evolution is after the first month, 13 of the 15 women suffered from fear, compared to 11 after the second and only 3 after the third. This is quoted as an 80% reduction, suggesting that at the start of the study, all 15 identified fear as an issue. The attempt at numerical analysis seems to be only based on comparison of the results of the Bach Test before counselling and is it unclear how the 60% reduction in symptoms for an individual woman was calculated from the data.
Summary: The combination of counselling and Bach flower remedies appears to be helpful in reducing the mental suffering of women in abusive relationships, but the relative contributions of the two therapies cannot be assessed from this study. The issue is important and it would worth doing a clinical trial in the same setting and with the same basic design, but adding a placebo control group and a validated scale to measure psychological state before and after treatment.