Melaleuca Alternifolia

The Basics On Melaleuca Alternifolia

What is Melaleuca Alternifolia?

What are other names for Melaleuca Alternifolia?

MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA (TEA TREE) ESSENTIAL OIL, MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA (TEA TREE) LEAF OIL, MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA (TEA TREE) OIL, MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA ESSENTIAL OIL, MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA LEAF OIL, OILS, TEA TREE, OILS, TEATREE, TEA EXTRACT; TEA LEAF, ABSOLUTE; TEA OIL; TEA TREE OIL, TEA RESINOID, TEA TREE LEAF OIL, TEA TREE OIL, and TEA TREE OILS

What is Melaleuca Alternifolia used for?

The primary uses of tea tree oil have historically capitalized on the antiseptic and anti-inflammatory actions of the oil1. Tea tree oil has been shown to offer the following benefits to our skin: Antimicrobial activity Tea tree oil has gained a strong reputation as an anti-microbial agent but there is not a lot of supporting evidence for this1. It has been reported to show activity against a broad range of bacteria1. Antifungal activity Tea tree oil has been shown by many studies to exhibit antifungal activity against a range of fungal varieties1. Antiviral activity A number of studies indicate that Tea Tree Oil may act against enveloped and nonenveloped viruses, although the range of viruses tested to date is very limited1. Antiprotozoal activity Another study showed that Tea Tree Oil has antiprotozoal activity. TTO caused a 50% reduction in growth (compared to controls) of the protozoa Leishmania major and Trypanosoma brucei at concentrations of 403 mg/ml and 0.5 mg/ml, respectively2. Anti-inflammatory activity Numerous recent studies now support the anecdotal evidence attributing anti-inflammatory activity to TTO. In vitro work over the last decade has demonstrated that TTO affects a range of immune responses, both in vitro and in vivo1. Treatment of Acne Another study found that topical 5% tea tree oil is an effective treatment for mild to moderate acne vulgaris3

How Melaleuca Alternifolia is classified

Plant Extracts, Antioxidants

Recommendations for using Melaleuca Alternifolia during pregnancy and breastfeeding

Limited data suggests no known risk

 

Melaleuca Alternifolia During Pregnancy

What we know about using Melaleuca Alternifolia while pregnant or breastfeeding

Limited information available.

Tea Tree Oil Groups of 27 mated female Hannover Wistar rats were dosed by gavage with 0, 20, 100, and 250 mg/kg bw/day tea tree oil in PEG 400 on days 5 to 19 of gestation, in a developmental toxicity study performed in accordance with OECD TG 414. 9 The dams were killed on day 20 of gestation. Severe maternal toxicity was observed in dams of the 100 and 250 mg/kg bw/day groups, as evidenced by clinical signs, reduced food consumption, and weight gain reductions of 20% and 45%, respectively, over the gestation period. Seven of the high dose dams died between days 8 and 11 of gestation; there was no mortality in the other test groups. Bilateral enlarged adrenals were observed in all high-dose dams that died during the study and in 6/20 that survived until necropsy; this observation was made in one dam of the mid-dose group. A dose-related adverse effect on mean fetal weights, related to intrauterine growth retardation, was noted in the mid- and high-dose groups. An increase in the number of late embryonic deaths and post-implantation loss, leading to an overall higher total intrauterine mortality, was observed in the high-dose (but not mid- or low-dose) group; the increase in post-implantation mortality was considered to be secondary to maternal toxicity. There was no statistically significant difference, compared to controls, in the number of visceral malformations in the fetuses of test animals, but there were statistically significant higher numbers of visceral variations reported in the 250 mg/kg bw/day dose group. A statistically significant higher incidence of skeletal malformations unrelated to intrauterine growth retardation was noted in the 250 mg/kg bw/day group, and a statistically significant increase in the number of skeletal variations, secondary to maternal toxicity, was noted in the 100 and 250 mg/kg bw/day groups. The NOAELs for maternal toxicity and for developmental toxicity (secondary to severe maternal toxicity) were 20 mg/kg bw/day tea tree oil. Effects on Spermatozoa Animal The effects of tea tree oil (containing 41.49% terpinene-4-ol, 20.55% γ-terpinene, 9.59% α-terpinene, and 4.42% α-terpineol) on the morpho-functional parameters of porcine spermatozoa were evaluated.72 Spermatozoa samples (15 x 107 spermatozoa in 5 ml of medium) were exposed to 0.2 – 2 mg/ml tea tree oil for 3 h. A concentration-dependent decrease in motility was observed with concentrations of 0.4 ml and greater; the decrease was statistically significant at concentrations ≥ 0.8 mg/ml. Viability of spermatozoa was statistically significant decreased with ≥ 1 mg/ml tea tree oil, and sperm acrosome reaction was statistically significantly increased at concentrations of ≥ 1.4 mg/ml. The effects of terpinene-4-ol alone were also evaluated; a greater concentration of terpinene-4-ol only (relative to the amount in tea tree oil) was needed to have an effect on the morpho-functional parameters

General safety info about Melaleuca Alternifolia from CIR

No report found.

Use this, not that!

Products where you might find Melaleuca Alternifolia

Briogeo B. Well Organic + Australian 100% Tea Tree Skin & Scalp Oil; only 1 product listed