Susceptibility of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus to the essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia

Abstract

All 66 isolates of Staphylococcus aureus tested were susceptible to the essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia, or tea tree oil, in disc diffusion and modified broth microdilution methods. Of the isolates tested, 64 were methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and 33 were mupirocin-resistant. The MIC and MBC for 60 Australian isolates were 0.25% and 0.50%, respectively. Comparable results were obtained by co-workers in Britain using similar methods. These in-vitro results suggest tea tree oil may be useful in the treatment of MRSA carriage.

Keywords

Public healthMedicineLibrary sciencePopulationQueen (butterfly)Family medicineBiologyEnvironmental healthPathologyZoology

Affiliated Institutions

Related Publications

Mechanism of Action ofMelaleuca alternifolia(Tea Tree) Oil onStaphylococcus aureusDetermined by Time-Kill, Lysis, Leakage, and Salt Tolerance Assays and Electron Microscopy

Christine Carson , Brian J. Mee , Thomas V. Riley

ABSTRACT The essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) has broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. The mechanisms of action of tea tree oil and three of its components, ...

2002 Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 920 citations

Antimicrobial activity of the major components of the essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia

Christine Carson , Thomas V. Riley

Tea tree oil, or the essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia , is becoming increasingly popular as a naturally occurring antimicrobial agent. The antimicrobial activity of eight...

1995 Journal of Applied Bacteriology 608 citations

The mode of antimicrobial action of the essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree oil)

Sean D. Cox , C.M. Mann , J.L. Markham +4 more

The essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Its mode of action against the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli AG...

2001 Journal of Applied Microbiology 1080 citations

Antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia

Christine Carson , T. V. Riley

Melaleuca alternifolia has been used for medical purposes since Australia was colonized in 1788. Melaleuca alternifolia is commonly called tea tree, although this vernacular nam...

1993 Letters in Applied Microbiology 164 citations

Safety, efficacy and provenance of tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) oil

Christine Carson , T. V. Riley

The identity, sources and composition of tea tree ( Melaleuca alternifolia ) oil are discussed, and earlier errors in the literature indicated. Reports of both therapeutic and a...

2001 Contact Dermatitis 82 citations

Publication Info

Year: 1995
Type: article
Volume: 35
Issue: 3
Pages: 421-424
Citations: 204
Access: Closed

External Links

View on DOI.org

Social Impact

Altmetric

Susceptibility of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus to the essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia

PlumX Metrics

Social media, news, blog, policy document mentions

Citation Metrics

204

OpenAlex

Cite This

APA Style

                            
                                
                                    Christine Carson, 
                                
                                    B Cookson, 
                                
                                    H. D. Farrelly
                                
                                et al.
                            
                            (1995). 
                            Susceptibility of methicillin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> to the essential oil of <i>Melaleuca alternifolia</i>. 
                            Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
                            , 35
                            (3)
                            , 421-424.
                            https://doi.org/10.1093/jac/35.3.421
                        

Identifiers

DOI: 10.1093/jac/35.3.421

Susceptibility of methicillin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> to the essential oil of <i>Melaleuca alternifolia</i>