Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) Essential Oil

Tea Tree Essential Oil


BOTANICAL NAME
Melaleuca alternifolia

COMMON METHOD OF EXTRACTION
Steam distilled

PARTS USED
Leaves and twigs

NOTE CLASSIFICATION
Middle

AROMA
Warm, Fresh, spicy-camphoraceous

LARGEST PRODUCING COUNTRIES
Australia and Kenya

TRADITIONAL USE
Widely known for its healing properties for the skin.





Tea tree oil is very important in the health of the immune system, as it acts as a immuno-stimulant and increases the body's ability to fight off any infections, while it also is used to revive the mind and body after shock.

The world over, this oil is used with great effectiveness to ward of infections of any kind, and it is active in all three varieties of infectious organisms: bacteria, fungi and viruses.
It can help with influenza, cold sores, catarrh, glandular fever and gingivitis.

A course of massage with tea tree oil before an operation may help to fortify the body and reduce post-operative shock.



Applied to the skin, can in some cases relieve muscle contractions and rhabdomyolysis, a rapid breakdown of muscle tissue, especially if the body is overheated or suffering from hyperthermia.

Apart from the superb anti-infectious properties of tea tree oil, it is also most effective to help clear bronchial congestion, asthma, coughs, sinusitis, whooping cough and tuberculosis.

On the genito-urinary system, it can be used to help clear vaginal thrush, cystitis and genital infections in general and on the skin, it clears abscesses, acne, burns, herpes, oily skin, athlete's foot, cold sores, blemishes, diaper rash, warts, sunburn and infected wounds, while fighting dandruff on the scalp.


Tea tree oil is one of the most powerful immune stimulant oils and helps fight infections of all kinds and helps clear the skin.

Burners and vaporizers

In vapor therapy, tea tree oil helps with colds, sinusitis, bronchitis and any other respiratory ailment and is also of use to help the mind cope after shock.

Blended massage oil or in the bath
As a blended massage oil or diluted in the bath, tea tree oil helps with all respiratory ailments, as well as arthritis, colds, dermatitis, skin infections, scalp disorders, sinusitis, viral infections, nettle rash, babies colds and coughs, bronchitis, as well as for sweaty feet.

In wash or applied neat
When it is added to the water for washing it has great value to treat abscesses, bed sores, acne, boils, lice, dandruff, wounds, as well as animal or human bites and can also be applied neat on problem areas with a cotton bud.
For lice - apply neat onto the scalp - leave for 40 minutes and wash the hair. This must be repeated every second day for twelve days.
Fungal outbreaks such as athlete's foot and nail infections (paronychia) as well as vaginal thrush and cradle cap can be treated with frequent direct application of a 2.5% dilution of tea tree oil.
Please remember that it is a powerful essential oil, and the neat application onto the skin must be done with care.

Mouthwash
Tea tree oil can be used as a mouthwash for gum infections, mouth ulcers, throat infections and tonsillitis, while garlic eaters believe that it reduces the smell of garlic on the breath. Although we know that the oil will definitely benefit the infectious problem, we are unsure of the success with the smell of garlic.

Cream or lotion
When tea tree oil is blended into a cream or lotion and applied to the skin, it will help to clear up any fungal, bacterial as well as viral infections - and can therefore be used for a variety of problems - ranging from boils, abscesses, acne, bite wounds from animals and humans (although a medical practitioner must also be consulted), dandruff and other scalp disorders and is also effective to help sort out bed sores, diaper rash or any other rash.


PROPERTIES
Analgesic, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiparasitic, antiseptic, antiviral, decongestant, deodorant, diaphoretic, expectorant, fungicidal, immune stimulant, insecticide, vulnerary

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

The main chemical components of tea tree oil (also referred to as ti-tree oil) are a-pinene, b-pinene, sabinene, myrcene, a-phellandrene, a-terpinene, limonene, 1,8-cineole, y-terpinene, p-cymene, terpinolene, linalool, terpinen-4-ol and a-terpineol.







BLENDS WELL WITH
Basil, bergamot, black pepper, chamomile german, cinnamon, clary sage, clove, cypress, eucalyptus, geranium, juniper, lavender, lemon, marjoram, myrrh, nutmeg, oakmoss, oregano, peppermint, pine, ravensara, rosewood, rosemary, thyme, ylang ylang

OF INTEREST

It is a small tree from New South Wales in Australia, similar to Cypress, with needle-like leaves and heads of sessile yellow or purplish flowers and grows to about 7 meters (20 feet) high and thrives in marshy areas, though it is now cultivated in plantations.

Even when this tree is cut down, it flourishes and is ready for cutting again in two years. The oil is only produced in Australia where the Aborigines used it for a long time for a variety of medicinal purposes.

In World War II, the producers and the cutters were exempt from military service until enough essential oil had been accumulated. Each soldier and sailor was issued with some as part of their kit, to treat tropical infections and infected wounds.

Tea tree oil is an ingredient of soaps, creams, lotions, deodorants, disinfectants and air fresheners.
In World War ll cutters and producers of tea tree were exempt from military service until enough essential oil had been accumulated. It was issued to each soldier and sailor for them to treat tropical infections and other problems of warfare, including wounds.

SAFETY DATA
May cause skin irritation. Not for internal use.