NATURE'S FIRST AID KIT

Meleleuca alternifolia, or tea tree oil as most of us know it, was discovered by Captain James Cook in 1770 in Australia. Sir John Banks, a botanist, collected samples of the leaves and took them to England to study them. The ancient Bundjalung Aborigines in Australia’s outback used the oil from the plant to treat bites, cuts, burns and other skin ailments. The Aborigine people would grind the leaves into a paste; this could then be applied to cuts, burns insect bites and other ailments. A tea was made from the tea tree leaves as well. The Aborigine people also chewed on the leaves.

Meleleuca alternifolia is a shrub-like tree found in the northeast tropical area of Australia known as Queensland and New South Wales. Although there are over three hundred varieties of tea tree plants only certain ones produce the oil that is so healing. The leaves of the tea tree plant produce the oil which is extracted for its medicinal purposes. I keep a bottle of this oil in each bathroom and one out in the shop. I consider it a first aid kit in a bottle.

“The finest antiseptic known to man” is how The Australian Medical Journal describes the essential oil found in the tea tree plant. The three main infectious groups- fungi, yeast and bacteria have been shown to be effectively treated with tea tree oil. Because of tea tree oil diversity it acts as a natural fungicide, disinfectant and antiseptic to prevent infections and also promote healing. Tea tree oil also has numbing pain relieving properties and has been used as a local anesthetic for mild pain. Dentists and doctors have been known to use tea tree to prevent the spread of bacteria and kill germs. Perhaps tea tree should be in every first aid kit. Common minor skin conditions are benefited such as acne, athlete’s foot, burns, boils, ringworm, corns, skin rashes, head lice, cold sores, canker sores, insect bites and fungal infections, just to name a few.

In the 1950s and 1960s, research was done on the tea tree plant. It is nearly impossible for an infectious microbe to build resistance to the tea tree oil. Over one hundred different organic components were found to work together synergistically to promote the healing found in the oil. It has been found to be a fungicide and germicide. Bugs do not like the scent of tea tree; however people in general say it has a clean pure scent. Clinical studies have shown that there is less scarring of the skin when tea tree oil is used in a treatment. E. coli, Candida albicans, and Staphlococcus aureus may all be treated effectively with tea tree oil according to history. Australian researchers found that tea tree at 0.5% killed Staphlococcus aureus. Tea tree oil penetrates the skin layers to kill bacteria and infections. Antimicrobial properties are powerful in tea tree oil. Recent research has shown tea tree oil may be beneficial in fighting the “super bugs” created by overuse of antibiotics.

In addition to the research mentioned above, the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy published a study done using low concentrations of tea tree oil. Using 0.5% tea tree over sixty strains of Staphylococcus aureus were killed. This is a bacterium commonly responsible for infections acquired while in the hospital. Tea tree oil works to kill bacteria both in the growth stages and while the bacteria is at rest. It works in the cell walls. Clinical data extensively reports a blend of tea tree, lavender, lemon and sweet thyme diluted in distilled water makes a good compress for wounds, sores and broken skin.

Most of our tea tree oil comes from the marshy northeastern section of New South Wales in Australia. The trees grown for commercial use are grown on plantations. Harvesters cut the aromatic, sticky leaves which contain the valuable oil with machetes and cane knives by hand. The tea tree leaves are then put in a steam distiller which extracts the valuable oil from the plant leaves. Nothing is wasted. Mulch is made of the leftover materials from the distiller. The mulch is used in the fields of tea tree plants to keep weeds & grass under control. Twenty one pints of tea tree oil may be harvested from one ton of leaves.

I love tea tree oil and highly recommend it to others. It’s such a nice little bottle to have on hand and in a first aid kit.

This information is meant to educate. I am not diagnosing, prescribing or treating in any way. Always see your health care practitioner for advice concerning your health.

Until next time I am wishing for you the best of health.

Eva can be contacted at: littleherbshoppe@hotmail.com