Positive Health Online

Abstract

HAMMERand colleagues, Discipline of Microbiology, School of Biomedical and Chemical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia, khammer@cyllene.uwa.edu.au, have tested the components of tea tree oil for antifungal activity.

Background

The study aimed to investigate the in vitro antifungal activity of the components of the essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree).

Methodology

Antifungal activity was measured by broth microdilution and macrodilution, and by time kill methods.

Results

The components with the most activity were terpinen –4-ol, alpha-terpineol, linalool, alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, and 1,8-cineole. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of these compounds were less than 0.25%. All other tea tree oil components showed minimal inhibitory concentrations ranging from 0.5% to 2%, with the exception of beta-myrcene which exhibited no antifungal activity.

Conclusion

With one exception, all tea tree oil components studied showed antifungal activity against a range of fungi. It is suggested that the measurement of such activity may be significantly influenced by the test method.

References

Hammer KA, Carson CF, Riley TV. Antifungal activity of the components of Lelaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil. Journal of Applied Microbiology 95 (4): 853-860, 2003.