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AUSTRALIAN TEA TREE
ESSENTIAL OIL
Latin name: Melaleuca alternifolia, Myrtaceae
Country of origin:Australia
Geographical origin: Nambucca Walley, New South Wales
Product contains best quality pure tea tree essential oil from the Nambucca Tea Tree Oil Farm, certified organic and biodinamic, blanded in carrier vegetable oil, ready for aromatherapy use.
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THE PLANT DESCRIPTION:
Tea tree is a small tree, growing to a height of 22 feet, with narrow, soft, alternate leaves and white to yellowish flowers the shape of bottlebrushes. One of more than 30 species of "paperbark' trees that flourish in Australia, tea tree belongs to the Melaleuca genus, and is closely related to Melaleuca leucadendron (the source of cajuput oil) and Melaleuca quinquenervia (which produces niaouli oil). The name Melaleuca comes from the Greek melas (black) and leukos (white) - referring to the contrast between the dark- green foliage, which appears black, and the loose, paper-thin and very white bark.
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Melaleuca alternifolia thrives in a relatively small area of New South Wales, in swampy low-lying land surrounding flood-prone river systems. Because tea tree favors rather remote wetlands, harvesting the leaves for their oil is difficult.
Now is mainly cultivated in New South Wales, and highest organic quality oil produced from the tea tree cultivated by Bio-Dynamic method is preferable for aromatherapy use.
Produced by steam distillation from the leaves and twigs of tea tree, the oil is mobile liquid, pale yallowy-green with a warm, fresh, spicy-camphoraceous odour. It acts as an excellent solvent, and can desolve the rubber, plastics, some waxes etc.
Historical or traditional use: Our present knowledge of the properties and uses of tea tree is based on a very long history of use by the Australian Aboriginals. They used the
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leaves to treat cuts and skin infections. They would crush the leaves and apply them to the affected area. Captain James Cook and his crew named the plant "tea tree" using its leaves as a substitute for tea as well as to flavor beer. Australian soldiers participating in World War I were given tea tree oil as a disinfectant.
It has been extensively researched recently by scientific methods with the following spectacular results:
1. The oil is unusual in that it is active against all three varieties of infectious microorganisms:
bacteria, fungi and viruses, and this is principal reason why some medicinal herbalists call
it "Australian wonder".
2. The oil has anti-inflammatory properties.
3. This is powerfull immunostimulant
PRINCIPAL INGREDIENTS:
Monoterpenes: alpha-pinene: 2,7%, , beta-pinene:0,1-1,6%, alpha-terpinene: 9.8%, p-cymen:4,5%, limonene: 1,2%, terpinolene: 3,6%,
sabinene:0,4%, gama-terpinene:20,3%.
Sesquiterpenes: beta-caryophyllene:1%, aromadendrene: 1,5%, delta-cadinene:1%, viridiflorene:0,3-6,1%.
Alcohols monotrepenols: terpinene-4-ol: 40,5%, alpha-terpineol: 2,2%,
Alcohols sesquiterpenols: globulol: 0,2%, viridiflorol: 0,1%.
Oxydes: 1,8-cineole: 3,9%
he oil content has fulfilled requirements of the The Australian standard which is: terpinene-4-ol: >30% , and 1,8 cineol:<15%.
COMMENT:
Most active antimicrobial component is terpinen-4-ol, and producers are trying to reach the conditions to produce oil with the 40% of this ingredient, and less than 15% of 1,8 cineol, which can be slightly irritant.
PROPERTIES:
Strong antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral agent, with the antinflammatory and immunostimulant properties.
PRINCIPAL AROMAMEDICINAL ACTIONS:
The recent extensive research have led to conclusion that the tea tree oil possess a broad spectrum antimicrobial activity.It is active against:
Gram positive bacteria: Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Beta haemolytic streptococcus, Corynebacterium spp, Enterococcus faecalis Micrococcus luteus, Propionibacterium acne, Methicillin resistent Staphyloccus aureus, Staphylococcus aureus (NCTC 4163), Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus faecalis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes,
Gram negative bacteria: Citrobacter soo, Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneaumonia, Legionella spp. Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 9027), Pseudomonas putida, Serratia marcescens, Shigella sonnei, than against:
Fungi and Yeasts: Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Candida albicans, Microsporum canis,Microsporum gypseum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Thermoactinomycetes vulgarus, Pityrosporum ovale, Trichophyton rubrum, Lysteria monocytogenes, and against
Viruses: Herpes simplex .
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Acne treatment:
Susceptibility of Propionibacterium acne, the bacterial pathogen associated with acne to the tea tree oil has been scientifically proven: The susceptibility of 32 strains of P. acnes to Tea Tree Oil was examined. The minimum bactericidal concentration of Tea Tree Oil for five strains was 0.25% or less while for the remainder it was 0.50%.
1. C F Carson and T V Riley Letters in Applied Microbiology 1994,
and confirmed in a clinical study for treatment of mild to moderate acne:
2. Performed a single-blind randomized clinical trial on 124 patients to evaluate the efficacy and skin tolerance of 5% Tea Tree Oil
Gel in the treatment of mild to moderate acne when compared with 5% benzoyl peroxide lotion. The results of this study showed
that both 5% Ta Tree Oil and 5% benzoyl peroxide had a significant effect in ameliorating the patients Acne by reducing the
number of inflamed and non-inflamed lesions (open and closed comedones) although the onset of action in the case of Tea Tree
Oil was a bit slower. Encouragingly, fewer side effects were experienced by patients treated with Tea Tree Oil. 2. Prof. R S C
Barnetson Dr.I Bassett Dr. D Pannowitz (Australia) Medical Journal of Australia Oct 1990
Dandruff treatment:
Susceptibility of Pityrosporum ovale, the fungal pathogen associated with dandruff, to the tea tree oil has been scientifically proven, and confirmed in clinical trial:
Tea tree oil as an efficacious treatment for dandruff
Despite the fact that the causes of dandruff are not completely understood, a number of agents are effective and are marketed for its treatment. Most of these agents have some activity against the fungi that play a role in dandruff, Malassezia spp, formerly known as Pityrosporum ovale. For many years tea tree oil (TTO) has been advocated as a treatment for dandruff on the basis of anecdotal evidence alone. In recent years laboratory data has added support to the use of TTO by showing that it can inhibit and kill Malassezia furfur and related species (Nenoff et al., 1996; Hammer et al., 1997; 2000; Griffin et al., 2000). However, until now no clinical data have been available. A recent paper by Satchell and colleagues (2002a) has reported the results of a randomised, single-blind, parallel-group study in which a 5% TTO shampoo was compared to placebo shampoo in the treatment of dandruff. A total of 126 patients were randomized to the TTO or placebo group and received a shampoo to use daily for 4 weeks. Patients' dandruff was assessed by the investigators prior to commencement and after 2 and 4 weeks daily application of the shampoo. At each assessment, the proportion of the scalp involved and the visual appearance of scalp (that varied from normal to red with thick confluent scales) were scored and used to calculate a scalp lesion score. Patients also self-assessed the degree of scaliness, itchiness and greasiness. After 4 weeks treatment, the responses in the TTO group were all significantly better than those in the placebo with the exception of the patient self-assessment of scaliness. Only one patient in each group a complete response.The significant improvements seen in the TTO group were reminiscent of those seen after treatment with other agents such as 2% ketoconazole and 1% terbinafine. The partial responses seen in the TTO treatment group suggest that ongoing application of the TTO shampoo would be required to continue control of the dandruff.
Other applications: The Tea tree oil can bee apllied undiluted to treat: Boils and Furunculosis, Athlete's foot , toenail fungal infections etc.
AROMATHERAPY USE:
For acne treatment:
- Three times a day put 6-8 drops of oil on the affected area, rubb into the skin and massage gently for 5 minutes.
For dandruff treatment:
- Twice a day wash the hair with the mild shampoo, and after that put 10-12 drops of oil on the scalp and massage for 10 minutes.
CONTRAINDICATIONS:
Not known.
OBSERVATIONS:
Avoid the contact with eyes!
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Tea Tree oil
