Avoid the first three months of pregnancy.

Words by Anny Schneider

Many plants are wrongly called “tea tree”, this essential oil comes from the real tea tree (the Melaleucha with alternate leaves) and is one of the most used on the planet for its anti-fungal and bactericidal, even antiviral properties.

It is used repeatedly for at least a month straight diluted in 90% vegetable oil on areas of lesion due to fungi, or as a local antiseptic, on minor wounds of any kind.

Origin of this essential oil

This organic tea tree essential oil from Australia is distilled from the leaves of the plant.

Main components of essential oil

• Monoterpene alcohols (45 – 50%): terpinene-4-ol 30-45%, alpha-terpineol 1.5-8%, beta-terpineol, para-cymenol-8, cis-thuyanol-4 and trans-thuyanol-4
• Monoterpenes: alpha-pinene 1-6% and beta-pinene, myrcene <1%, alpha-terpinene 5-13% and gamma-terpinene 10-28%, paracymene 0.5-12%, limonene, terpinolene
• Sesquiterpenes: aromadendrene 0.1-7%, allo-aromadendrene, beta-caryophyllene, alpha-cadinene, delta-cadinene, ledene (= viridiflorene [3])
• Sesquiterpene alcohols: globulol, viridiflorol (traces)
• Terpene oxides: 1,4-cineole, 1,8-cineole (0-15%), epoxykaryophyllene II
• Traces of methyl eugenol