Tea Tree Oil Information

A steam distillation method is used to extract tea tree oil from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia plant. This pungent smelling oil contains anti-bacterial properties that defeat antibiotic resistant bacterium. Originally used in Australia, tea tree oil is widely available throughout the United States and Europe.

History

Tea tree oil was historically used by the Australian Aborigines to remedy minor wounds and skin infections. The University of Michigan Health System says the leaves were crushed and then applied to the afflicted area. The name "tea tree" comes from the crew under the English explorer Captain James Cook, who employed it as a tea substitute and beer flavoring. Popularity of tea tree oil began in World War I when the Australian government gave tea tree oil to their soldiers as a disinfectant.

Topical Dose

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) says, "There is no proven effective dose," of tea tree oil. However, they suggest you use a commonly studied dose of "5 to 10% tea tree oil in gel or shampoo form applied on the skin daily for up to four weeks."

MRSA

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an antibiotic resistant bacterium causing potentially fatal infections in health care settings. In a randomized, controlled trial conducted by the Department of Microbiology and Communicable Disease in Royal Hampshire County Hospital and published in The Journal of Hospital Infection, tea tree oil treatment regimens "were effective, safe and well tolerated and could be considered in regimens for eradication of MRSA carriage."

Nail Fungal Infection

A study conducted by the Department of Family Medicine at University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and published by the Journal of Family Practice compared the popular treatment option for onychomycosis, clotrimazole, to a 100% tee tree oil solution. The researchers chose onychomycosis because it is one of the most frequent cause of nail fungal infections. Applied to the affected area twice a day for six months, patients who received the tee tree oil topical treatment showed, "improvement in nail appearance and symptomatology."

Safety

The NIH warns severe side effects have been reported after the ingestion of tea tree oil, and it should not be swallowed. They note reports of patients exhibiting problems including, but not limited to, abdominal pain, drowsiness, confusion and coma.
If you have a tea tree oil allergy, your body may react with symptoms from a mild dermatitis to a blistering rash on contact. The NIH cautions people with pre-existing skin conditions, such as eczema, may have particularly severe reactions. Additionally, tea tree oil may react negatively with "anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, antifungal, and anti-cancer drugs," herbs and supplements.