The objective of this page is to list links to other websites where you can discover for yourself what research has been done and reported about the usefulness of Tea Tree Oil.
Some of it is serious, laboratory in vitro experiments done to establish the effectiveness of extracts of Melaleuca alternifolia against a variety of micro-organisms. If you doubt what has been said on our other pages about the clinical effectiveness of Tea Tree Oil then you should really reassure yourself that there are some serious researchers out there who are doing their best to show its efficacy.
Some of it is from individual clinicians who are reporting what they have discovered by recommending Tea Tree Oil to patients. Their enthusiasm derives from the degree of success that they have observed in their own practices. It does not have the same scientific rigour of the previous research - but it is the result of real success with real patients...
Sadly, there is nothing in between.
Why not? Well, you need to read the explanation on another page: Tea Tree And The Law. Because of the way our laws are currently drafted, the vast amounts of money needed to fund the necessary research will never be made available by the pharmaceutical companies that can afford them. There's no profit in it for them, so they will never do it. Sad but true.
So until the laws are changed, what you get below is all you will get. Try Tea Tree Oil, record your own results, then let us know. If you let us know we will publish them for you.
We have provided a brief description of what you can expect if you follow the links below, but we have left it that you can make your own judgments...
Links:
The serious, in vitro (laboratory) research that has been conducted on Tea Tree has been carried out by the University of Western Australia.
Go to www.meddent.uwa.edu.au/teatree
We are preparing summaries of this and other sites...
(Last updated Jan 2007)
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A story receiving publicity in January 2007 is as follows:
Aromatherapy oils 'kill superbug' (10th January 2007) at www.naturallivingorg.co.uk/aromatherapy/aroma_news.htm
Essential oils could kill the deadly MRSA hospital 'superbug', scientists have claimed.
University of Manchester researchers found three of the oils, usually used in aromatherapy, destroyed MRSA and E.coli bacteria in two minutes.
They suggest the oils could be blended into soaps and shampoos which could be used in hospitals to stop the spread of the superbug.
Hospital-acquired infections, such as MRSA, kill an estimated 5,000 a year.
The Manchester study was triggered when complementary medicine specialists at Christie Cancer Hospital asked university researchers to test essential oils.
Dr Peter Warn, who carried out the research, said: "When I tested the oils in the lab, absolutely nothing grew. Rather than stimulating bacteria and fungi, the oils killed them off."
The team then tested 40 essential oils against 10 of the most infectious agents found in hospitals, including MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus). Two of the oils were found to kill MRSA and E.coli almost instantly, while a third was found to act over a longer period of time.
However, the researchers say they are unable to reveal which oils carry benefits because of commercial sensitivities.
MRSA is often carried in patients' nostrils, and is currently treated by putting disinfectant on the area to kill the bacterium - which many patients often find unpleasant. Dr Warn says the essential oils could be used to create much more pleasant inhalation therapies - which he said were likely to have a much higher success rate than the current treatment, which is only effective in around 50% of cases."
Dr Warn said: "We believe that our discovery could revolutionise the fight to combat MRSA and other superbugs."
But he said the team now needed around £30,000 in order to continue its research.
Jacqui Stringer, clinical leader of complementary therapies at Christie Hospital in Manchester, instigated the oils research.
She said: "Our research shows a very practical application which could be of enormous benefit to the NHS and its patients.
"The reason essential oils are so effective is because they are made up of a complex mixture of chemical compounds which the MRSA and other superbug bacteria finds difficult to resist."
The Department of Health evaluates products which are claimed to prevent or treat HAIs before it permits them to be used across the NHS.
Comment: Fantastic eh? Apart fom the fact that this story actually dates back to December 2004. Progess seems to be slow to turn these findings into a practical solution...
You can read the original for yourself on the University of Manchester archives:
http://www.manchester.ac.uk/press/newsarchive/title,8376,en.htm
Essential Oils Could Stamp Out Spread Of MRSA (21 Dec, 2004)
Essential oils usually used in aromatherapy have been found to kill the deadly MRSA bacteria according to research carried out at The University of Manchester.
Tests revealed that three essential oils killed MRSA and E. coli as well as many other bacteria and fungi within just two minutes of contact. The oils can easily be blended and made into soaps and shampoos which could be used by hospital staff, doctors and patients in a bid to eradicate the spread of these deadly `super bugs'.
Researchers are now desperately looking for funding to develop their work and carry out a clinical trial. Peter Warn from the University's Faculty of Medicine who worked on the research said: 'We believe that our discovery could revolutionise the fight to combat MRSA and other `super bugs', but we need to carry out a trial and to do that we need a small amount of funding ' around £30,000.
'We are having problems finding this funding because essential oils cannot be patented as they are naturally occurring, so few drug companies are interested in our work as they do not see it as commercially viable. Obviously, we find this very frustrating as we believe our findings could help to stamp out MRSA and save lives,' added Peter, who is based at Hope Hospital.
Essential oils are chemical compounds found within aromatic plants, which the plants use to fight off infections. Researchers tested 40 essential oils against ten of the most deadly bacteria and fungi. Two of these oils killed MRSA and E. coli almost instantly, while a third was shown to act over a longer period of time, meaning that any soaps or shampoos made by blending these three oils would be effective over a period of time.
Jacqui Stringer who is Clinical Lead of Complementary Therapies at the Christie Hospital instigated the research and said: 'The use of plants in medicine is nothing new but some people regard the use of essential oils as unconventional. Our research shows a very practical application which could be of enormous benefit to the NHS and its patients.
'The reason essential oils are so effective is because they are made up of a complex mixture of chemical compounds which the MRSA and other super bug bacteria finds difficult to resist. The problem with current treatments is that they are made of single compounds which MRSA relatively quickly becomes resistant to, so treatment is only successful in around 50% of cases.
'While a wide range of products currently exist to help prevent the spread of MRSA these are often unpleasant for patients as their application can cause skin irritation. MRSA is often carried inside the nose which means that patients often have to insert treatments up their nostrils, whereas these essential oils can simply be inhaled to prevent the patient being at risk,' added Jacqui.
Jacqui works with leukaemia patients at the Christie Hospital using essential oils to help in their treatment. Patients receiving treatment for cancer and leukaemia are often left with weakened immune systems which makes them vulnerable to infection from MRSA.
The National Audit Office estimates that infections such as MRSA kill 5,000 people each year and hospital-acquired infections cost the NHS around £1 billion a year.
For further information contact Rachael McGraw, Media Relations Officer at The University of Manchester on 0161 275 2111 or at rachael.s.mcgraw@manchester.ac.uk
Last updated: Wed, 02 Feb 2005 11:54:14 GMT
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