We offer a range of products containing East Cape manuka oil as well as tea tree oil...

• Natural health products for a range of conditions including scabies, ringworm, eczema, dermatitis, acne, athletes foot, candida and vaginosis, herpes and cold sores, head lice & stomach ulcers
• Completely natural beauty and personal care products

Christoph F., Kaulfers P.M. & Stahl-Biskup E. (2000). "A comparative study of the in vitro anti-microbial activity of tea tree oils s.l. with special reference to the activity of b-triketones". Planta Med. 66(6), 556-60.

Abstract. The in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities of Australian tea tree oil, cajuput oil, niaouli oil, kanuka oil and manuka oil as well as of a b-triketone complex isolated from manuka oil were investigated in a constituent-oriented study.

The compositions of the oils were analysed by capillary GLC and GLC-MS. The MICs for sixteen different microorganisms were determined applying the broth dilution method.

Australian tea tree oil showed the best overall antimicrobial effect. The best inhibitory effects on Gram-positive bacteria and dermatophytes were achieved with manuka oil due to its b-triketone content.

Christoph F., Kaulfers P.M. & Stahl-Biskup E. (2001). "In vitro evaluation of the antibactericidal activity of b-triketones admixed to Melaleuca oils." Planta Med. 67(8), 768-771.

Abstract. The in vitro antibacterial properties of mixtures of Australian tea tree oil and niaouli oil after adding the b-triketone complex isolated from manuka oil were tested. MIC and MBC values for four different bacteria were determined applying the broth dilution method.

Both Melaleuca oil mixtures showed good antimicrobial effects against Staphylococcus aureus and Moraxella catarrhalis, exceeding the effectiveness of myrtol, which is well established in the treatment of acute and chronic bronchitis and sinusitis. The death kinetics of S. aureus were determined to draw subtle comparisons between the mixtures. The kill rate data indicated that both Melaleuca oil mixtures achieved a complete kill within 240 min.

Christoph F. & Stahl-Biskup E. (2001) "Death kinetics of Staphlococcus aureus exposed to commercial tea tree oils s.l." J. Essen. Oil Res. 13, 98-102.

Abstract. Staphyloccus aureus cells were exposed to increasing concentrations of Australian tea-tree oil, cajuput oil, niaouli oil, Lema oil, kanuka oil, and manuka oil as well as of a b-triketone complex isolated from manuka oil.

The death kinetics were determined by calculation of log10 reduction factors after increasing exposure periods. Niaouli oil turned out to be highly active, followed by Lema (a blend of Manuka and Tea Tree oils), tea tree & cajuput oils. Kill rate data indicated that 1.0% (v/v) were lethal to the stationary phase cells in the assay conditions used. At 2.0% (v/v) niaouli oil and Lema oil yielded a complete 6.8 log10 reduction of cell numbers in suspensions within 60 min, whereas cells treated with tea tree & cajuput oils were inactivated more slowly within 120 & 240 min. respectively.

Kanuka & manuka oils as well as the b-triketone complex, the active principle of manuka oil, lacked any bactericidal properties. Their high effectiveness against Gram-positive bacteria can be explained by bacteriostatic effects.

The results obtained with Lema oil, a blend of tea tree and a polar fraction of manuka oil (mainly b-triketones), gave cause to discuss synergistic effects.

Cooke A. & Cooke M.D. (1994) "An investigation into the antimicrobial properties of manuka & kanuka oils" Cawthron Report No 263, New Zealand.

Abstract. Essential oils of manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) and kanuka (L. ericoides) were compared to tea tree oil in regard to their antimicrobial properties.

Oils were tested against Staphylococcus aureus (15 strains), Streptococcus faecalis & Strep. pyo genes, Listeria monocyto genes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris, Legionella pneumophila, Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger, Trichophyton rubrum and T. mentagrophytes.

Manuka oil showed high activity against Gram-positive organisms (recorded at approx 20 times that of tea tree) whilst Kanuka was very similar to tea tree oil in its activity. Manuka & kanuka oils were similar in their acitivities against Gram-negative organisms, but were 2-3 times less effective than tea tree oils.

Activity towards yeasts and fungi was variable; manuka oil exhibiting good activity against dermatophytic fungi.

Courtney W.J. (2001) "Antimicrobial composition containing manuka oil (leptospermum scoparium) and Australian tea tree oil (melaleuca alternifolia)." Patent No NZ 332694 (patent granted & sealed 2001).

Abstract of NZ332694: A broad spectrum antimicrobial composition comprising the oils of leptospermum scoparium (LS) and melaleuca alternifolia (MA), exhibits increased antimicrobial activity than if the components are used in isolation. In order to target gram negative microbes, the proportion of MA oil in the composition should be higher than that of LS.

The proportion of LS oil in the composition should be higher than that of MA, in order to target gram positive microbes The high potency fractions of LS have an RI of between 1482 and 1610, and include Flavesone, Isoleptospermone and Leptospermone.

The high potency fractions of MA oil include Terpinen-4-ol, and have an RI of between 1179 and 1610, and 920 and 1142.

Courtney W.J. (2001) "Antimicrobial compositions comprising Leptospermum scoparum & Melaleuca alternifolia oils." Patent No EP1126759 (refused 2005).

Abstract: not available, but abstract of corresponding patent WO0027206 (application refused 2005) reads: This invention relates to improvements in and relating to antimicrobial compositions.

More particularly, it relates to antimicrobial compositions comprising or including a mixture of oils of Melaleuca alternifolia and Leptospermum scoparium and/or fractions or dilutions of same. A method of producing the composition is also claimed, as are methods of producing compositions which target particular microbes.

Courtney W.J. (2003) US Patent 6514539 (granted Feb 2003).

Abstract: This invention relates to improvements in and relating to antimicrobial compositions.

More particularly, it relates to antimicrobial compositions comprising or including a mixture of oils of melaleuca alternifolia and leptospermum scoparium and/or fractions or dilutions of same. A method of producing the composition is also claimed, as are methods of producing compositions which target particular microbes

Harkenthal M., Reichling J., Geiss H.K. & Saller R. (1999) "Comparative study on the in vitro antibacterial activity of Australian tea tree oil, cajuput oil, niaouli oil, manuka oil, kanuka oil, and eucalyptus oil." Pharmazie 54(6), 460-463.

Abstract. To compare the antibacterial activity of the Australian tea tree oil (TTO) with various other medicinally and commercially important essential myrtaceous oils (cajuput oil, niaouli oil, kanuka oil, manuka oil, and eucalyptus oil) the essential oils were first analysed by GC-MS and then tested against various bacteria using a broth microdilution method.

The highest activity was obtained by TTO, with MIC values of 0.25% for Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Salmonella choleraesuis, Shigella flexneri, Bacillus subtilis, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, S. saprophyticus, and S. xylosus.

It is noteworthy that Manuka oil exhibited a higher activity than TTO against gram-positive bacteria, with MIC values of 0.12%.

Both TTO and Manuka oil also demonstrated a very good antimicrobial efficacy against various antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus species. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was resistant to all essential oils tested, even at the highest concentration of 4%.

Kim, E. H. & Rhee G.J. (1999). "Activities of ketonic fraction from Leptospermum scoparium alone and synergism in combination with some antibiotics against various bacterial strains and fungi." Yakhak Hochei (J. - Pharmaceutical Society of Korea). 43(6), 716-728.

van Klink J.W,. Larsen L., Perry N.B., Weavers R.T., Cook G.M., Bremer P.J., Mackenzie A.D. & Kirikae T. "Triketones against antibiotic-resistant bacteria: synthesis, structure-activity relationships, and mode of action." Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry 13, 6651-6662. (2005).

Abstract. A series of acylated phloroglucinols and triketones was synthesized and tested for activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE) and multi-drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDR-TB). A tetra-methylated triketone with a C12 side chain was the most active compound (MIC of around 1.0 lg/ml against MRSA) and was shown.

Reichling J., Weseler A., Landvatter U & Saller R. (2002) "Bioactive essential oils used in phytomedicine as antiinfective agents: Australian tea tree oil and manuka oil." Acta Phytotherapeutica 1, 26 (2002)

Reichling J., Koch C., Stahl-Biskup E., Sojka C., Schnitzler P. (2005) "Virucidal activity of beta-triketone-rich essential oil of Leptospermum scoparium (Manuka Oil) against HSV-1 & HSV-2 in cell culture." Planta Med 71(12), 1123-7.

Abstract. The inhibitory activity of Manuka oil against Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) was tested in vitro on RC-37 cells (monkey kidney cells) using a plaque reduction assay. In order to determine the mode of antiviral action of the essential oil, Manuka oil was added at different times to the cells or viruses during the infection cycle.

Both HSV types were significantly inhibited when the viruses were pre-treated with Manuka oil 1 h prior to cell infection. At non-cytotoxic concentrations of the essential oil, plaque formation was significantly reduced by 99.5 % and 98.9 % for HSV-1 and HSV-2, respectively.

The 50 % inhibitory concentration (IC (50)) of manuka oil for virus plaque formation was determined at 0.0001 % v/v (= 0.96 microg/mL) and 0.00006 % v/v (= 0.58 microg/mL) for HSV-1 and HSV-2, respectively. On the other hand, pretreatment of host cells with the essential oil before viral infection did not affect plaque formation.

After virus penetration into the host cells only replication of HSV-1 particle was significantly inhibited to about 41 % by Manuka oil. Flavesone and leptospermone, two characteristic ss-triketones of manuka oil, inhibited the virulence of HSV-1 in the same manner as the essential oil itself. When added at non-cytotoxic concentrations to the virus 1 h prior to cell infection, plaque formation was reduced by 99.1 % and 79.7 % for flavesone and leptospermone, respectively.

Rhee G.J., Chung K.S., Klim E.H., Suh H.J. & Hong N.D. (1997) "Anti-microbial activities of a steam distillate of Leptospermum scoparium." Yakhak Hoeji 41, 132-138.

Takarada K., Kimizuka R., Takahashi N., Honma K., Okuda K. & Kato T. (2004) "A comparison of the anti-bacterial efficacies of essential oils against oral pathogens." Oral Microbiol. Immunol. 19(1), 61-64.

Abstract. Cariogenic bacteria and periodontopathic bacteria are present in dental plaque as biofilms. In this study, we investigated the antibacterial effects of essential oils on the following oral bacteria: Porphyromonas gingivalis, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Streptococcus mutans, and Streptococcus sobrinus.

We tested Manuka oil, tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil, lavandula oil, and rosmarinus oil and determined their minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration.

The essential oils inhibited the growth of the bacteria tested, Manuka oil being the most effective. Minimum bactericidal concentration values showed that lavandula oil acts bacteriostatically, and the remaining oils, bactericidally. Periodontopathic bacterial strains tested were killed completely by exposure for 30 s to 0.2% Manuka oil, tea tree oil or eucalyptus oil.

Tea tree oil and Manuka oil showed significant adhesion-inhibiting activity against P. gingivalis. All the essential oils tested inhibited the adhesion of S. mutans.

This study showed that, among the essential oils tested, Manuka oil and tea tree oil in particular had strong antibacterial activity against periodontopathic and cariogenic bacteria. From the viewpoint of safety, we also examined the effects of these essential oils on cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells and found that, at a concentration of 0.2%, they had little effect on cultured cells.

Williams L.R., Stockley J.K., Yan W. & Home V.N. (1998) IJA 8(4), 30-40.

Abstract. After a comparison of the antimicrobial activity of the essential oils of Australian tea tree oil, Australian lavender, New Zealand Manuka, lemongrass oil, and eucalyptus oil it was found that the relative antimicrobial activity varied depending upon the micro-organism under test. Lavender has useful antimicrobial properties and a product was formulated containing a combination of tea tree oil and lavender for the treatment of burns.

A selected New Zealand Manuka oil (from the East Cape region) had strong antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. The use of tea tree oil and combinations of tea tree oil and manuka are being investigated for therapeutic use against Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other antibiotic resistant bacteria such as Enterococci (VRE) which is resistant to Vancomycin.

For therapeutic use as an antimicrobial active in formulated products the essential oil must have a broad spectrum of activity with the additional properties of being stable and non irritant to sensitive or damaged skin. Overall tea tree oil had the best combination of useful properties including strong antimicrobial activity. Australian Tea Tree Management Limited has assisted in the selection and breeding of superior plants of Melaleuca alternifolia and M. linariifolia which provide a tea tree oil high in terpinen-4-ol. By the end of 1997 over 2 million clones of these selections will have been planted.

The use of tea tree oil in pharmaceutical products will be boosted by the production of commercial quantities of highly active oil with a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity suitable for use in formulations for vaginal thrush, tinea, acne and dandruff.