Study: Tea tree oil to treat MRSA

WASHINGTON — Tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia), long used to treat acne and minor skin irritations, may soon be used to treat something more severe — Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), according to the Examiner.

A study published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy that was conducted at the Department of Microbiology at the University of Western Australia found that Melaleuca alternifolia successfully treated all 66 test cases of Staphylococcus aureus bacterium, 64 of which were Methicillin resistant, the story stated.

According to the study, tea tree oil may be even more effective against the spread of MRSA than some of the drugs commonly used to combat the bacteria.

Similar studies show Melaleuca alternifolia can also successfully prevent the spread and growth of highly resistant fungi and yeast, the story noted.

Tea tree is a powerful volatile oil, passing through the cell membrane quickly and easily and therefore should never be ingested internally; proper ventilation may be required when applying topically and special care and dosing instructions should be followed when using it to treat children as their systems are more sensitive to the effects of the active ingredient, terpinen, the story added.

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