Herb: Tea Tree Oil

[grafix-gnc]

Tea Tree Oil
Melaleuca alternifolia

Parts Used: Essential Oil

Phytochemicals: Alpha-pinene, alpha-terpineol, aromadendrene, beta-pinene, camphor, caryophyllene, limonene, linalool, 1,8-cineole, p-cymene, terpinenes, terpinolene

Nutrients: None that I could find

I know that all of you have used or heard of Tea Tree Oil. I have mentioned it before in my "Help with Acne" post and I am sure that all of your girlfriends/mothers/sisters have some kind of facial cleanser or shampoo with Tea Tre Oil as one of its main ingredients. Wanna know why? Because it heals virtually all skin conditions... except for ugly. Wanna know something interesting about Tea Tree Oil? Well, when added to water, it can be used as a douche for vaginitis!

Known Uses for Tea Tree Oil:

• Disinfects wounds
• heals virtually all skin conditions
• athlete's foot
• boils
• cuts & scrapes
• earache
• fungal infections
• hair and scalp problems
• herpes outbreaks
• insect and spider bites
• scabies and warts
• Used as a douche, as i said before :stickp:
• You can gargle it for colds, sore throats, and mouth sores (do not swallow it)

Well there you have it... THE END!

[phoenixphyre]

Desert Essence makes this little blemish roll-on that has Tea Tree Oil and Witch Hazel in it and I swear by that stuff. Everytime I get a zit, I just roll on some of the liquid and it zaps it in a day or less! Small little bottle that you can carry in your gearbag..

If you have a Trader Joe's nearby, it's the cheapest there (approx. $5.25). If you go to Whole Foods or a regular market, it'll be in the neighborhood of $8.50.

[Darko]

SHit I just remebered about someone posting about this a long time ago on elite, I am gonna have to pick some up for sure.

[hhajdo]

It has antimicrobial & antiinflammatory activity.


Int Dent J 2002 Dec;52(6):433-7 Related Articles, Links


Antimicrobial activity of garlic, tea tree oil, and chlorhexidine against oral microorganisms.

Groppo FC, Ramacciato JC, Simoes RP, Florio FM, Sartoratto A.
Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2002 Jun;46(6):1914-20 Related Articles, Links


Mechanism of action of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil on Staphylococcus aureus determined by time-kill, lysis, leakage, and salt tolerance assays and electron microscopy.

Carson CF, Mee BJ, Riley TV.

Department of Microbiology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley. ccarson@cyllene.uwa.edu.au

The essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) has broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. The mechanisms of action of tea tree oil and three of its components, 1,8-cineole, terpinen-4-ol, and alpha-terpineol, against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 9144 were investigated. Treatment with these agents at their MICs and two times their MICs, particularly treatment with terpinen-4-ol and alpha-terpineol, reduced the viability of S. aureus. None of the agents caused lysis, as determined by measurement of the optical density at 620 nm, although cells became disproportionately sensitive to subsequent autolysis. Loss of 260-nm-absorbing material occurred after treatment with concentrations equivalent to the MIC, particularly after treatment with 1,8-cineole and alpha-terpineol. S. aureus organisms treated with tea tree oil or its components at the MIC or two times the MIC showed a significant loss of tolerance to NaCl. When the agents were tested at one-half the MIC, only 1,8-cineole significantly reduced the tolerance of S. aureus to NaCl. Electron microscopy of terpinen-4-ol-treated cells showed the formation of mesosomes and the loss of cytoplasmic contents. The predisposition to lysis, the loss of 260-nm-absorbing material, the loss of tolerance to NaCl, and the altered morphology seen by electron microscopy all suggest that tea tree oil and its components compromise the cytoplasmic membrane.




Piracicaba Dental School - UNICAMP, Av. Limeira 901, Bairro Areiao, Piracicaba, Sao Paulo, Brazil CEP 13 414 - 900. fcgroppo@fop.unicamp.br

OBJECTIVE: To compare the antimicrobial activity of tea tree oil, garlic, and chlorhexidine solutions against oral microorganisms. METHOD: The five-week study consisted of thirty subjects. The first week was considered baseline. All subjects used a control solution (second week), and were randomly divided into the three groups (third week): G1-0.12% chlorhexidine; G2 - 2.5% garlic (Allium sativum, L.); and G3 - 0.2% tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia). Dishes containing blood agar and Mitis Salivarius Bacitracin agar (MSB) were inoculated with the subjects' saliva (collected twice a week). Total microorganisms and mutans streptococci were counted in blood agar and MSB, respectively. RESULTS: Chlorhexidine and garlic groups showed antimicrobial activity against mutans streptococci, but not against other oral microorganisms. The tea tree oil group showed antimicrobial activity against mutans streptococci and other oral microorganisms. Maintenance of reduced levels of microorganisms was observed only for garlic and tea tree oil during the two consecutive weeks (fourth and fifth). Unpleasant taste (chlorhexidine 40%, tea tree oil 30%, garlic 100%), burning sensation (chlorhexidine 40%, tea tree oil 60%, garlic 100%), bad breath (chlorhexidine 40%, tea tree oil 20%, garlic 90%), and nausea (chlorhexidine 0%, tea tree oil 10%, garlic 30%) were reported. CONCLUSION: Garlic and tea tree oil might be an alternative to chlorhexidine.


Inflamm Res 2002 May;51(5):236-44 Related Articles, Links


Tea tree oil reduces the swelling associated with the efferent phase of a contact hypersensitivity response.

Brand C, Grimbaldeston MA, Gamble JR, Drew J, Finlay-Jones JJ, Hart PH.

Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Flinders Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the anti-inflammatory activities of tea tree oil (TTO) in vivo. METHODS: Mice were sensitized to a chemical hapten, trinitrochlorobenzene, on their ventral skin and 7 days later challenged (or re-exposed) on their dorsal skin with the same hapten. RESULTS: TTO applied 30 min before or up to 7 h after to the same dorsal site as hapten challenge caused a significant reduction in skin swelling after 24 h. TTO reduced oedema but not the influx of inflammatory cells. This finding was supported by the inability of TTO to suppress TNFalpha-induced E-selectin expression by human umbilical vein endothelial cells. TTO did not suppress irritant- or ultraviolet B-induced oedema. CONCLUSION: Topical TTO, specifically the TTO components, terpinen-4-ol and alpha-terpineol can regulate the oedema associated with the efferent phase of a contact hypersensitivity response.


Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd 2000 Feb;7(1):17-20 Related Articles, Links


Tea tree oil: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials.

Ernst E, Huntley A.

Department of Complementary Medicine, School of Postgraduate Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Exeter, UK. E.Ernst@ex.ac.uk

AIM: Tea tree oil (TTO) is immensely popular for various topical applications. In vitro studies have repeatedly demonstrated that it has antibiotic activity. This article is an attempt to systematically review the evidence from randomised clinical trials for or against effectiveness of external TTO in dermatological conditions. METHODS: Six electronic databases were searched. Methodological quality was assessed by Jadad score. Data were extracted and validated in a standardised fashion by two independent reviewers. RESULTS: Only 4 trials were located. They suggest that TTO may be effective as a treatment of acne and fungal infections. The evidence is promising but by no means compelling. The adverse effects of TTO are usually mild and transient. They mainly consist of allergic reactions. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that, so far, there is no compelling evidence to show that TTO is efficacious in any dermatological condition. However, in view of promising findings, TTO deserves to be investigated more closely.

[hunankilla]

my ex-gf used to take tea trea baths for her herpes. It helped a lot. I still very lucky I did not get it. it was harsh shit really ****ed with her moods, but the tea trea helped her get better a lot faster.

[macro]

it has strong anti-viral properties

[rookie pua]

I have VERY OILY skin so would using tree tea oil helps or would it make my acne worse cuz my skin is already oily and im assuming that tea tree oil is a form or oil too

[BuddyBoy]

I hvae real oily skin naturally, and it help clear up my acne.. it usually takes a day or two, but it REALLY does help, especially with the swelling.

[rookie pua]

SWEETTTTTT. my acne really isnt that bad for a guy with a reflector on his forehead. I've been breaking out a little bit this past 2 weeks for some reason. Probably from my diet or something. BuddyBoy what brand or tea tree oil would you recommend? (what did you use?)
Thanks in advance

[BuddyBoy]

I just use whatever I find thats the cheapest/onsale.

It smells kinda minty/eucalyptus-y.

I Like the Dessert Essence Blemish Stick, but it runs out with a quickness.. so I just use anything that says 100% TeaTree oil.

Basically like.. what I do is I wash my face with a mild cleanser.. like Neutrogena or whatever.. and then I put the TTOil on the irritated parts of my face, and then I put on a oil free moisturizer afterwards.. I think Walmart has one for like 2 bux.

Its kinda a hassle to do all those steps, but like I notice that if I wash myface and it gets all tight and dry, and if I DONT put on the oil free lotion.. my face gets hecka shiny-er..

and if I use regular face lotion that has oil in it.. I just become a greaseball.

[Fyre]

I'm going to have to look for that Desert Essence Stick. That sounds pretty cool. I swear by Tea Tree oil as well. I haven't tried that stick yet though.

[JOMO]

i hane HELENE tea trea oil BODY OIL and i use it on my entire body, good stuff!