The female scabies mite, Sarcoptes scabiei, tunnels under the skin of infested children and adults, causing intense itching and rash. A global public health problem, scabies are transmitted through contact with infested skin or linens. Because these infestations often resist conventional treatment, parents wishing to avoid medications may want to try natural remedies; however, a health care professional should be consulted before attempting to treat scabies in children with home remedies.
Tea Tree Oil
Melaleuca alternifolia, or tea tree, is native to Australia. Researchers there studied the treatment of advanced, or crusted, scabies seen in the Infectious Diseases Ward of Royal Darwin Hospital, where resistance to permethrin creams and oral ivermectin is problematic. Ivermectin is used to treat human scabies in many countries, but in the United States it is only approved for veterinary use. In the Australian study, mites were harvested from a 20-year-old Aboriginal woman and placed in continuous direct contact with either tea tree oil or permethrin. In a 24-hour observation period, tea tree oil killed scabies mites faster than permethrin. Researchers found that a 5 percent solution of tea tree oil had the highest efficacy, and isolated terpinen-4-ol as the active ingredient. The study was published in the May 2004 "Archives of Dermatology." Essential oils cause mild skin irritation in some individuals; using a single remedy at a time and testing a small area to begin with is recommended.
Clove Oil
Research published in August 2010 by the Public Library of Science tested three essential oils and four pure compounds that share a chemical base of eugenol on permethrin-resistant scabies mites in pigs and rabbits. Scabies mites are species specific; human scabies cannot complete their whole life cycle on animals, and vice versa. Researchers found that clove oil, which contains the most eugenol, was highly effective in clearing mite infestations on the animals. Nutmeg oil was moderately effective, and ylang ylang, a perfume ingredient, showed the least efficacy. Clove oil can be safely produced at home, and there are commercially made preparations made from only the buds of the plant; less expensive imports may use stems and leaves, parts that contain skin irritants.
Neem Oil
Some Pakistani farmers use a homemade extract of neem seed kernels to treat a type of sarcoptic mite that infests sheep. Scientists used 40 lambs to compare the effectiveness of the neem oil to dosing the animals with ivermectin, a more expensive treatment which cleared up infestations within 16 days. In order to obtain similar results with the extract, a high concentration of neem oil was needed, equivalent to a 20 percent solution. The authors of the study, which was published in the January 2008 issue of the "Journal of Ethnopharmacology," concluded that the folk remedy works and is cost effective when properly applied. Neem oil is often diluted with water and lavender oil to disguise the pungent smell. It has a bitter taste and may have toxic effects if swallowed.
References
- "Archives of Dermatology"; Acaricidal Activity of Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea Tree) Oil: in Vitro Sensitivity of Sarcoptes scabiei var Hominis to Terpinen-4-ol; Walton SF, et al.; May 2004
- "PLoS One"; Acaricidal Activity of Eugenol Based Compounds Against Scabies Mites; Pasay C., et al.; Aug. 11, 2010
- "Journal of Ethnopharmacology"; Efficacy of Crude Neem Seed Kernel Extracts Against Natural Infestation of Sarcoptes Scabiei Var. Ovis; Tabassam SM, et al.; Jan. 17, 2008
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