September 4, 2010

Treating Serious Bacterial Infections With Essential Oils

The search for an antidote to this deadly bacteria has been a prominent area of research in the last several years — and several essential oils have been found to be highly effective in eradicating the bug. Infections occur in the nasal passages and respiratory system, as well as in open wounds (including areas such as catheter insertions). Clearly an effective treatment should be available in both vapor phase (for inhalation) and in liquid for topical application. Essential oils meet both these requirements, and have been successfully tested in both conditions.

In one study, which included both laboratory and “real-world” experiments, diffusing a blend of essential oils was found to be effective in eradicating bacteria. In closed boxes, the vapor was found to inhibit the growth of MRSA on agar plates by 38 percent. In an office environment, after running the diffuser for fifteen hours, the total bacterial count in the air was reduced by 89 percent. The blend was a simple combination of two highly regarded antibacterial essential oils: lemongrass and geranium.

Tea tree essential oil, long considered the gold standard of antiseptic essential oils, has been the subject of many studies itself. The evidence seems to indicate that tea tree alone is not sufficient for eradication of the bacteria, and that overall it is likely not the best candidate for MRSA treatment. In a set of experiments using wound dressings, a blend of geranium and tea tree could eradicate Staphyulococcus aureus that were already sensitive to antibiotics; a blend of geranium essential oil and Citricidal (grapefruit seed extract) was found to eradicate MRSA when used on a wound dressing.

With this synergy of essential oils in mind, a company in the UK called “Benchmark Oils” has developed a new strain of thyme with unique chemical characteristics. In effect, this new strain of thyme produces an essential oil that chemically appears like a mixture of tea tree and thyme essential oils. This single oil alone was found to quickly eradicate MRSA, and at the same time its application at 100 percent strength did not cause skin irritation (as is possible with some “spice” essential oils such as cinnamon and clove). Maggie Tisserand, company director, noted: “What is interesting is that the thyme oil we use is food grade and, in preliminary company trials, shows no adverse effects on intact skin.”

A complex blend of eucalyptus, tea tree, clove, lemongrass and thyme essential oils was reported to successfully treat individuals with MRSA infections. The blend, diluted in alcohol, was topically applied to two individuals where traumatic injury sites incurred infections — the result was complete eradication of MRSA infections. In a third individual, MRSA infection was present in bone structure, and was not responding to any antibiotic treatment. Using a slow-release system, the essential oil blend also resulted in complete eradication of the infection.

This is only a small selection of the available data, yet the vast majority of results confirm that essential oils can be effective at eradicating MRSA bacteria. What is wonderful about these results is that essential oils are readily available, inexpensive, and virtually non-toxic. Treatment of such infections with essential oils should clearly be done with the guidance of a qualified medical professional, as the illness can be deadly. Individuals with weak immune systems, and those exposed regularly to MRSA or other bacterial pathogens can protect themselves with a nebulizing aromatherapy diffuser. One can make a simple blend of lemongrass, geranium and thyme essential oils and regularly diffuse this in their space for such support.

The author is the owner of Ananda Aromatherapy, a source for world-class Geranium and other essential oils , therapeutic essential oil blends and aromatherapy supplies.

More Details about essential oils here.

Keywords: aromatherapy,essential oils,antibacterial,alternative health,health

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