Positive Health Online

Abstract

MESSAGER and colleagues, Discipline of Microbiology, School of Biomedical and Chemical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley WA 6009, Australia, have performed new measurements of the antibacterial activity of tea tree oil.

Background

The aim of the study was to assess the antibacterial activity of tea tree oil using the EN 1276 and EN 12054 European suspension methods of handwashing.

Methodology

The activity of different concentrations of tea tree oil as well as a range of different formulations containing tea tree oil were assessed against Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Results

The activity of the tea tree oil depended on the concentration used, the formulation, the presence of interfering substances, and the organism. An alcoholic hand rub containing tea tree oil appeared to be the best formulation and achieved a better than 100,000-fold reduction of bacteria within less than a minute of contact time.

Conclusion

The formulations used in this study are currently being tested by other methods for future use in hospitals with the hope of eventually combating antibiotic-resistant 'superbugs'.

References

Messager S, Hammer KA, Carson CF, Riley TV. Assessment of the antibacterial activity of tea tree oil using the European EN 1276 and EN 12054 standard suspension tests. Journal of Hospital Infection 59 (2): 113-125, Feb 2005