The best‑known anthroposophic remedy is a fermented mistletoe extract which is used to treat cancer. Steiner argued that mistletoe is a parasitic plant which eventually kills its host–a striking resemblance to a malignant tumour which also lives off its host and finally kills him/her. His conclusion, therefore, was that mistletoe can be used to treat cancer. The concepts of anthroposophic medicine are biologically implausible.
What is the evidence?
The efficacy of mistletoe preparations remains unproven–either for curing cancer or for improving the quality of life of cancer patients. Other elements of the anthroposophical concept are not well researched, and the therapeutic concept as a whole has so far not been rigorously tested.
Mistletoe injections have been associated with a range of adverse effects. The most important risk, however, is that of discarding conventional treatments. For example, anthropospohical doctors tend to advise parents against the immunization of their children, and some cancer patients forfeit conventional treatment for mistletoe extracts.
Conclusion
Anthroposophic medicine is biologically implausible, it has not been shown to be effective, and it is unlikely to work. It can also carry considerable risks.
Aromatherapy
The use of plant essences (‘essential oils’) for treating or preventing illnesses or enhancing wellbeing.
Background
Plant oils have been used in several ancient cultures, but the birth of aroma therapy proper was not until the publication of a book entitled Aromathérapie by the French chemist René Gattefosse in 1937. Gattefosse had previously burned his hand while working in his laboratory and immediately immersed it in lavender oil. To his amazement, the wound healed quickly without leaving a scar. This experience prompted him to study the medicinal powers of essential oils.
There are several ways of using essential oils. Most commonly, the diluted oil is applied to the skin via a gentle massage, but the oil can also be added to a bath or diffused in the ambient air. If combined with a massage, aromatherapy is definitely relaxing–but it is unclear whether the effect is caused by the oil, the gentle massage or both. Aromatherapists believe that different essential oils have different specific effects. Therefore therapists individualize these oils according to their patient’s characteristics, symptoms, etc.
A consultation with an aromatherapist can last between one and two hours. The therapist will normally take a brief medical history, possibly conduct a short examination and then proceed by massaging a diluted essential oil into the skin of the patient. This process is relaxing and, for most people, agreeable. Aromatherapy is often advocated for chronic conditions such as anxiety, tension headache and musculoskeletal pain. Aromatherapists usually recommend regular sessions, even in the absence of symptoms, e.g. for preventing recurrences.
What is the evidence?
Some clinical trials confirm the relaxing effects of aromatherapy massage. However, these effects are usually shortlived and therefore of debatable therapeutic value. Some essential oils do seem to have specific effects. For instance, tea tree has antimicrobial properties. However, these are far less reliable than those of conventional antibiotics. The risks of aromatherapy are minimal, such as the possibility that some patients may be allergic to some essential oils.
Conclusion
Aromatherapy has short‑term ‘de‑stressing’ effects which can contribute to enhanced wellbeing after treatment. There is no evidence that aromatherapy can treat specific diseases.
Ayurvedic Tradition
‘Ayurveda’ means knowledge (veda) of life (āyus). It is one of the ancient Indian systems of healthcare and involves bringing about balance between body and mind.
Background
Ayurveda has been used in India for roughly 5,000 years. It includes individualized herbal remedies, diet, exercise (yoga), spiritual approaches like meditation, massage and other interventions. Health is perceived as a balance of physical, emotional and spiritual energies, and any deviation from health is thought to be caused by an imbalance of these elements. Treatment is aimed at re‑establishing the balance through individualized prescriptions, usually of several interventions simultaneously.
Ayurvedic practitioners will take a medical history, examine the patient, diagnose the nature of the imbalance and try to restore balance through their prescriptions. There is much emphasis on lifestyle advice, but Ayurvedic medicine supplements are also prescribed frequently. A consultation might take 30–60 minutes and numerous sessions are usually recommended, often lasting up to a year. All conditions are claimed to be treatable in the Ayurvedic tradition.
What is the evidence?
The whole system of Ayurveda has not been submitted to clinical trials, but elements of it have. The results are mixed. For instance, yoga has proven benefits for cardiovascular health. A recent trial of Indian massage, however, showed no positive effects in stroke patients. Ayurvedic remedies usually contain a multitude of herbal and other compounds. Some encouraging findings exist for conditions like acne, constipation, diabetes, chronic heart failure, obesity and rheumatoid arthritis. However, in none of these cases is the evidence sufficiently strong to warrant a positive recommendation. (The evidence for specific herbal remedies is discussed in Chapter 5.)
Ayurdevic medicines have regularly been implicated for containing substances such as heavy metals. These can either be a contaminant or a deliberate addition–according to Ayurvedic belief, they generate positive medicinal effects if handled properly. In reality, however, heavy metals are highly toxic no matter how they are prepared.
Conclusion
Ayurdevic healthcare is a complex system that cannot be easily evaluated. The current evidence suggests that some of its elements are effective while many others are essentially untested, or overtly dangerous, e.g. many herbal preparations.
Bach Flower Remedies
Highly diluted plant infusions intended to cure emotional imbalances which are thought to be the cause of all human illness.
Background
The concept was developed by Edward Bach, who had worked as a micro biologist at the Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital in the early twentieth century. Inspired by the principles of homeopathy, Bach identified thirty‑eight flower remedies, each one corresponding to an emotional disturbance such as depression, fear, loneliness or oversensitivity. Administering the correct remedy, he believed, would cure the emotional disturbance and consequently the physical or psychological illness. For example, heather is used to treat self‑centredness and honeysuckle is an antidote for those who live in the past. Similarly, wild rose is supposedly helpful in cases of apathy, and vervain treats the opposite problem of over‑enthusiasm.
Flower remedies (‘Bach Flower Remedies’ is a brand name) are produced by placing the fresh flowers into spring water. Subsequently brandy is added to make up the actual remedies, which are similar to homeopathic remedies in that both are usually so dilute that no pharmacological action is conceivable. Also both schools claim to work through some sort of ‘energy’ transfer. However, homeopaths are adamant that flower remedies are fundamentally different: succussion (or shaking) is not part of the process of making flower remedies, and their prescription does not follow the ‘like cures like’ principle.