Drug & supplement interaction

Bach Flower Remedies + Disulfiram

Disulfiram brand name: Antabuse.

Major Interaction
The bottom line Major

Bach Flower Remedies has a major interaction with Disulfiram. Bach flower remedies can cause a disulfiram-like reaction when taken with disulfiram.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMajor
LikelihoodLikely
EvidenceC
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Bach Flower Remedies and Disulfiram

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Major

DISULFIRAM (Antabuse)

Bach flower remedies can cause a disulfiram-like reaction when taken with disulfiram.
Bach flower remedies are preserved in brandy and contain alcohol. The alcohol content of Bach flower remedies can cause a disulfiram reaction when taken within 12 hours of disulfiram.
Severity Major Likelihood Likely Evidence C

Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the key thing to know about this pair: Disulfiram (Antabuse) was designed to make you feel awful if any alcohol gets into your body. The catch with Bach Flower Remedies is that most of them are preserved in brandy, so they actually contain real alcohol, even though they're heavily diluted.

Even a small dose taken within about 12 hours of your disulfiram can trigger what we call a disulfiram reaction. That can mean facial flushing, a pounding headache, nausea or vomiting, sweating, a racing heart, and feeling dizzy or anxious. It's not subtle, and it can be quite unpleasant. Because of that, I'd treat the alcohol in these drops seriously and check with your pharmacist or doctor before using them. Some brands also offer alcohol-free versions worth asking about.

References
  1. Fraser AG. Pharmacokinetic interactions between alcohol and other drugs. Clin Pharmacokinet 1997;33:79-90. PubMed

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Bach Flower Remedies Also Interacts With Other Medications

Bach Flower Remedies has 3 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Disulfiram one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Bach Flower Remedies

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Bach Flower Remedies. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Bach Flower Remedies or Disulfiram

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Bach Flower Remedies or Disulfiram, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Disulfiram

This page covers Bach Flower Remedies only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Disulfiram page lists 45 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Wine (major), Biofeedback (moderate) and Black Tea (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 30 moderate · 11 minor.

Open the Disulfiram interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Bach Flower Remedies and Disulfiram Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Bach Flower Remedies
Steady interest

#909 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Disulfiram
Steady interest

#2,556 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Bach Flower Remedies

What is Bach Flower Remedies?

Bach Flower Remedies
  • Stress and anxiety
  • Emotional balance
  • Fear and worry
  • Low mood
  • Sleep difficulties
  • Coping during stressful events

Bach Flower Remedies are extremely diluted flower preparations promoted to support emotional well-being rather than treat physical illness. High-quality research has not shown they work better than a placebo, but they are generally considered low-risk. The main concern is their alcohol (brandy) content, especially for children, people avoiding alcohol, and during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Read the full Bach Flower Remedies monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Disulfiram

What Is Disulfiram Used For?

Brand name: Antabuse

Disulfiram tablets are used as an aid in managing selected chronic alcohol patients who want to stay sober. The goal is to support "enforced sobriety" so counseling and other supportive treatment can work well.

It is not a cure for alcoholism. Used alone, without motivation and supportive therapy, it is unlikely to change drinking patterns much.

See full Disulfiram drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Bach Flower Remedies

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Bach Flower Remedies — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
3Moderate
0Minor
2,826No known interaction
Moderate

3 interactions

No interaction 2,826 drugs checked — show the list
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Bach Flower Remedies and Disulfiram Together: Common Questions

Can you take Bach Flower Remedies with Disulfiram?
This is rated a major interaction, so the combination is best avoided unless your doctor or pharmacist has specifically told you otherwise. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Bach Flower Remedies and Disulfiram interaction?
We rate it Major. This is a clinically significant combination that is generally best avoided, or used only under the direct supervision of your physician or pharmacist.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.