Tea tree oil
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Tea tree oil is an yellowish green-tinged essential oil with a fresh camphoraceous odour. It is taken from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia which is native to the northeast coast of New South Wales, Australia. The oil is claimed to have beneficial cosmetic and medical properties (including antiseptic and antifungal action).
The term "tea tree oil" is somewhat of a misnomer since Melaleuca alternifolia is a paperbark rather than a tea tree (genus Leptospermum). Tea tree oil should also not be confused with tea oil, the sweetish seasoning and cooking oil from pressed seeds of the tea plant Camellia sinensis or the tea oil plant Camellia oleifera.
History and extraction
Australian Aborigines have used oil extracted from the tree's needles for hundreds of years. Currently, tea tree oil is obtained by steam distillation of the leaves. Of the over 100 compounds contained in the oil, terpinen-4-ol is responsible for most of the antimicrobial actions.
Although tea tree oil is normally extracted from Melaleuca alternifolia commercially, it can also be extracted from Melaleuca dissitiflora and Melaleuca linariifolia. Tea tree oil is defined by international standard ISO 4730 ("Oil of Melaleuca, Terpinen-4-ol type"), which specifies levels of 14 components which are needed to define the oil as "tea tree oil."
Medicinal Usage
Tea tree oil has been recognized as a potent antiseptic in Australia anecdotally for much longer than there has been solid scientific evidence. However, studies have recently been conducted which support the role of tea tree oil in skin care and the treatment of various ailments.Antifungal properties
Tea tree oil is a known antifungal agent, effective in vitro against multiple dermatophytes found on the skin. In vivo, shampoo with 5% tea tree oil has been shown to be an effective treatment for dandruff due to malassezia furfur, the most common cause of dandruff, being a fungi.Candida is a genus of yeast responsible for yeast infections in humans, otherwise known as Candidiasis. Tea tree oil has been shown to act as an anticandidal agent in vitro, leading some to suggest that tea tree oil could be effective in humans as a topical treatment against candidiasis.
Antiseptic properties
In the treatment of moderate acne, topical application of 5% tea tree oil has shown a significant effect comparable to 5% benzoyl peroxide with less observed side effects; although, it does display a slower onset of action.Tea-tree oil is also effective for treating bug bites, scrapes, cuts, boils, and other minor wounds. It appears to have less of a stinging sensation than other antiseptics.
Safety
Tea tree oil is used almost exclusively externally. A patch test is advisable before using items containing tea tree oil because in high concentrations tea tree oil can cause irritation and some individuals may experience hypersensitivity since it can be allergenic.
Tea tree oil is toxic if taken in higher doses. Data on oral tea tree oil toxicity in humans are sparse aside from several anecdotal reports of toxic effects following oral ingestion . Symptoms may include dizziness, nausea and disorientation. The use of tea tree oil in oral products like toothpaste is considered safe as long as the tea tree oil is not ingested and it is not accessible to small children.
According to a July 4, 2006 article [link] in the Washington Post, "A preliminary finding presented at the Endocrine Society's conference last month . . . suggests that shampoos, soaps and body lotions containing . . . tea tree oils may cause hormonal imbalances and breast growth in young boys."
Reference
External links
- [Tea Tree Oil Research Group, University of Western Australia.]
- [HerbMed]
- [Extensive Tea Tree Oil Resources]
| Acne-treating agents [http://encycl.opentopia.com/ edit] |
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| Topical agents: (Benzoyl peroxide} Antibiotics: (Tetracyclines) Hormonal: . Retinoids: |
| Antifungals (D01 and J02) [http://encycl.opentopia.com/ edit] |
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Antibiotics: Griseofulvin, Hitachimycin, Natamycin, Nystatin Topical Azoles: Clotrimazole, Econazole, Fluconazole, Ketoconazole, Miconazole, Oxiconazole, Sertaconazole, Sulconazole, Tioconazole Other topicals: Ciclopirox, Ethyl hydroxybenzoate, Flucytosine, Salicylic acid, Selenium sulfide, Terbinafine, Tolnaftate For systemic use: Amphotericin B, Anidulafungin, Caspofungin, Griseofulvin, Itraconazole, Terbinafine, Voriconazole Other: Posaconazole. Thiabendazole, Tea tree oil
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