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Fungal Infections Research
Diet
& Lifestyle
Onychomycosis
(infection of the nails by funghi)
Tea tree oil
(an essential oil derived primarily from the Australian native Melaleuca
alternifolia) has been traditionally used to help treat onychomycosis (a
fungal infection that occurs under the nails).
A recent study compared the
use of Tea Tree oil with clotrimazole (a commonly used anti-fungal agent)
in the treatment of onychomycosis (infection of the nails by funghi). 117
patients were randomly assigned to receive a daily application of either
one per cent clotrimazole solution or 100 per cent Tea Tree oil for a
period of six months. The results revealed that there was no statistical
difference between the two treatments - the clotrimazole group experienced
a 61 per cent resolution and the Tea Tree oil group experienced a 60 per
cent resolution.
All of the patients were
monitored again three months after the treatment period when it was found
that approximately half of each group had continued improvement of their
condition (55 per cent in the clotrimazole group as opposed to 56 per cent
in the Tea Tree group).
Reference: Journal of
Family Practice June 1994 3:6.
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Tea
Tree oil and Tinea Pedis (fungal infection)
A study was undertaken to test
the antiseptic properties of tea tree oil which was conducted at the
Dermatology Department, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW
assessing the therapeutic effects of tea tree in the treatment of another
fungal infection, tinea pedis.
One hundred and four patients
completed a randomized, double-blind trial to evaluate the efficacy of 10%
w/w tea tree oil cream compared with 1% tolnaftate and placebo creams. All
three groups demonstrated improvement in clinical condition based on the
four clinical parameters of scaling, inflammation, itching and burning.
The tea tree oil group (24/37) and the tolnaftate group (19/33) showed
significant improvement in clinical condition when compared to the placebo
group.
The researchers concluded that Tea
tree oil cream (10% w/w) appears to reduce the
symptomatology of tinea pedis as
effectively as tolnaftate 1% but is no more for the popular use of tea tree oil
in the treatment of tinea pedis.
Tong MM; Altman PM; Barnetson RS.
Tea tree oil in the treatment of tinea pedis. Dermatology Department,
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW. Australia J Dermatol
(AUSTRALIA) 1992, 33 (3) p145-9
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