You’ve more than likely heard of MRSA, or Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a strain of bacteria known as a “superbug”. It has also been referred to as “multi-drug resistant” and “oxacillin-resistant”, and by definition it is any strain of Staphyulococcus aureus bacteria that has grown resistant to what are known as “beta-lactam” antibiotics (which include the penicillins). Having grown resistant to powerful synthetic antibiotics, infection with this microbe is now responsible for many thousands of deaths annually — primarily in hospitals where patients are already immuno-compromised.
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.
The efficacy of one of the most popular means of using essential oils as a preventative measure was elucidated by researchers testing oils in their vapor phase. By using a nebulizing diffuser — a device that makes an evaporating mist of an oil or oil blend — it was found that a blend of lemongrass and geranium could limit the growth of MRSA bacteria in a petri dish within the same enclosed space. And further, the airborne bacterial count in an office environment was reduced by eighty-nine percent by over fifteen hours using this same blend.
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.
It’s interesting that no single essential oil has been found in all the research to be superior to synthetic antibiotics, but blends of essential oils have been. From this information, a company in the UK has developed a new strain of the herb thyme for distillation into an essential oil. Thyme essential oil is commonly available in 4 chemotypes, meaning it naturally has 4 distinct chemical profiles depending on the kind of thyme herb the oil has been distilled from. This new strain produces an essential oil with a chemical profile that mimics an essential oil blend, containing natural chemicals found in both thyme and tea tree essential oils. It preliminary studies, this essential oil alone has been found to be effective against MRSA — while it is not yet available in the US, keep watch for this new type of thyme essential oil.
A powerful blend of oils has been used successfully in human subjects with both acute and chronic infections with MRSA. One person had a bone infection for 2 years, which was unresponsive to antibiotics. A blend of Australian eucalyptus and tea tree, plus thyme, clove and lemongrass essential oils finally put a stop to the infection. Two other individuals discussed in the same report had suffered traumatic injuries which had become infected by MRSA. Infection of both individuals was eliminated with this essential oil blend alone.
Clearly essential oils hold excellent promise in treating MRSA infection, and by their nature, virtually all bacterial infections suffered by human beings. Acceptance of their use by mainstream medicine, particularly in the United States, has been exceedingly slow. This is likely due to the pharmaceutical-driven environment of our health institutions, where essential oils have no way into the system. Hopefully through the education of both doctors and patients, efficacious natural treatments such as essential oils will eventually be embraced, as given the scientific support, they certainly deserve to be.
The author is a regular contributor to several sites in the areas of using Aromatherapy and Bach flower remedies . She can be contacted at www.AnandaApothecary.com
