According to the American Diabetes Association, as of 2010, 25.8 million people in the United States had diabetes. That is 8.3 percent of the population. People with diabetes are at an increased risk for many health complications including gangrene, a disorder that occurs when part of the body loses its blood supply, causing the tissue to decay. Tea tree oil comes from the leaves of the tea tree plant and many naturopathic practitioners use it for its purported antibacterial properties. Many ongoing studies are testing the use of tea tree oil to treat many types of skin and bacterial infections. You should always consult a physician before using tea tree oil to treat any type of infection.
Diabetes
Diabetes is an illness in which your body produces little to no insulin or inefficiently processes insulin, causing too much glucose to circulate in your blood. Over time, this excess glucose can cause damage to your brain, eyes, cardiovascular system, kidneys, skin and feet. It may also cause a condition known as peripheral neuropathy, in which the excess sugar damages the tiny blood vessels that supply nerves in your arms and legs. A lack of feeling in your hands and feet can lead to wounds that, if left untreated, can become serious infections. In extreme cases, this neuropathy can progress to a condition known as gangrene.
Gangrene
Gangrene does not only occur in diabetics. It can happen for a number of reasons such as a serious injury, diseases of the blood vessels, surgery or suppression of the immune system from chemotherapy or HIV. The most common bacteria in gangrene include clostridium perfringens, though staphylococcus aureus and pseudomonas may also be present. In gangrene, your skin often appears discolored; it turns blue or black if your skin is affected, red or bronze if only the tissue below your skin is infected. You may experience severe pain in the affected area followed by a loss of feeling. Foul-smelling discharge often occurs. When gangrene manifests inside your body such as gas gangrene, symptoms will often include low blood pressure, fever, confusion, severe pain, a feeling of malaise and gas in the tissues below the skin, according to the Mayo Clinic. Treatment of gangrene often involves amputating the infected body part, emergency surgery to remove dead tissue or improve blood supply, intravenous antibiotics and treatment in the intensive care unit.
Tea Tree Oil
Melaleuca alternifolia, or the tea tree, is a plant that grows native in the swampy region of southeastern Australia. Scientists use a steam distillation process on the leaves to extract the oils. The oil's antibacterial properties may come from the compound terpinen-4-ol, though not enough clinical trials confirm this. For centuries, herbal practitioners have used tea tree oil to treat acne, athlete's foot, bad breath, dandruff, eye infections, nail infections, gingivitis, genital herpes, lice and many types of bacterial infections.
The Science
Many clinical trials show that tea tree oil can prevent dangerous bacteria such as methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from colonizing, potentially keeping infection at bay. However, in a study published in the April 14, 2011 issue of the "International Journal of Emergency Medicine," a woman treating her diabetic foot wound with tea tree oil alone developed gas gangrene in spite of the oil's natural antibiotic agents. As of 2011, no studies show that tea tree oil can prevent or treat gangrene, diabetes-related or otherwise. You should always consult a physician before attempting to treat any wound with tea tree oil.
References
- International Journal of Emergency Medicine: Gas Gangrene and Osteomyelitis of the Foot in a Diabetic Patient Treated with Tea Tree Oil
- Mayo Clinic: Tea Tree Oil
- American Diabetes Association: Diabetes Basics
- Mayo Clinic: Diabetes
- National Institutes of Health: Tea Tree Oil
- National Institutes of Health: Gangrene
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