Tea Tree In an era when both the medical community and the general populace recognize the scary truth that infectious organisms are building up resistance to today's conventional antibiotics, Tea tree oil may have a bright future. Tea tree oil, taken from the Australian Tea Tree Melaleuca alternifolia, is nature's antiseptic.

Over the past 70 years, researchers around the world have amassed evidence of the astounding properties of this oil. Dr. Belaiche's team of the University of Paris established that Tea tree oil effectively treats both yeast and chronic urinary infections. Another research group discovered that a 0.1 percent dilution of Tea tree oil kills a potentially fatal organism that has recently appeared in hospitals. The University of Western Australia found that Tea tree oil also kills the bacteria responsible for staph infections. In another double-blind study, Tea tree oil worked just as well as a pharmaceutical anti-fungal agent, to treat fungal infections of the nails, without the side effects. In France, Tea tree oil has even been used under medical supervision to treat acute appendicitis by frequently applying the oil on a point directly over the appencix.

The extremely varid and amazing properties of this oil result from the complexity of its composition. Over 100 compounds make up this oil. Its properties probably result in part from the interactions between the components. Its neutral pH renders the oil non-irritating, and its low toxicity means it can be used safely over a long period of time. Most importantly, as Rowan Hamilton states in his Botanical Report on tea tree oil, unlike our conventional antibiotics, "it is almost impossible for an infectious organism to build up any resistance to tea tree oil".

Although it seems we are just beginning to discover the healing benefits of this oil, it was actually first brought to our culture over two hundred years ago. Captain Cook's ship Endeavour landed in Australia in 1770 and discovered the plant the Aboriginal tribes used as a disinfectant, for healing baths, to make insect repellent, and to relieve bites and burns. However, Cook's sailors were more interested in the spicy, refreshing tea produced by boiling the leaves, and Joseph Banks, the botanist aboard the Endeavour, christened the tree with its common name.

In the early 1900's, almost 150 years later, the first research on tea tree oil appeared in the scientific literature. Dr. Arthur R. Penfold found Tea tree oil to be many times stronger than the standard germicide of the day. Furthermore, the oil is not caustic and does not harm the healthy skin surrounding the treated wound. Further clinical research reported that tea tree would help heal infected wounds and ulcers, and a few years later, that tea tree effectively treated diabetic gangrene. During World War II tea tree oil was routinely used by both British and American soldiers as part of their first aid kits. Unfortunately, after the war focus turned to synthetic drugs and interest in tea tree oil did not resurface until the 1970's.

Tea tree oil can be used both clinically and at home for a variety of conditions. Over the years it has been indicated for sunburn, prickly heat, dermatitis, candidiasis, psoriasis, topical ringworm, lice infestation, lesions caused by herpes simplex virus, gingivitis, boils, pimples, cosmetic rashes, gum infections, abrasions, athlete's foot, toothaches, bronchial and sinus congestion, staph infections, vaginitis, bacterial skin infections, sore throats, insect bites, and yeast infections. It can be used safely at home. Tea tree oil should not irritate the skin, but if you are concerned about skin sensitivity, you can try a patch test first. Place a few drops of the oil on the inside of your arm and wait a few minutes. If any irritation occurs, it is most likely due to the poor quality of the oil, contamination, or exposure to light, oxygen, or prolonged heat.

Tea tree oil is not a panacea, but the synthetic drugs certainly cannot beat it. It should be in our first aid kits and have a place in our medicine cabinets. Tea tree oil is nature's medicine kit in a bottle.