Tea tree oil against skin cancer

[Torsten]

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/7486102/tea-tree-oil-shows-anti-cancer-powers/

Australian scientists have uncovered another potential weapon in the battle against skin cancer - tea tree oil.

Perth-based researchers say the oil could form the basis of a fast, cheap and safe treatment for non-melanoma skin cancers and precancerous lesions.

A three-year study at The University of Western Australia (UWA) has identified a unique formulation of the oil shown capable of halting the spread of a solid tumour grown under the skin of mice.

Within three days, the tumours treated with the oil could not be detected.

"We are very excited about these results," said Dr Sara Greay from UWA's School of Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences.

"And (we're) hoping to find funding for a small clinical trial of about 50 people with precancerous lesions, with the aim of preventing the development of skin cancers."

Dr Greay said the anti-cancer effect of the tea tree oil appeared to come from activating the immune system to target the tumour.

Australia has the highest incidence of skin cancer worldwide with around 434,000 people treated for one or more non-melanoma skin cancers every year.

This type of cancer usually causes a localised tumour and it is not as serious as melanoma, which can spread quickly to other parts of the body.

The research was carried out in collaboration with Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) and Novasel Pty Ltd.

The study results were published online in the journal Cancer Chemotherapy Pharmacology.

[Magicdirt]

There has been a lot of conjecture for decades over the link between cancer and pleomorphic bacteria, given Tea Tree oils' anti-fungal/antibacterial properties seems like there could more to it than just activating the bodies immune system.

Many researchers over the years have found that bacteria often plays a role in cancer. Everytime they publish their results they have their funding stopped and become targets for the AMA.

There's a lot money to be made from "treating" cancer with traditional methods even if they aren't very succesfull.

Bacteria & cancer

[t st tantra]

3 days,wow!!!!

my daughter had a spider bite produce a patch of sunken flesh the size of a 5cent peice,in about 6 hours.

tea tree oil at night,gone the next morning!

described by some as an organic solvent that dissolves whatever shouldnt be there.

what about castor oil for the same purpose?

t s t .

[Sonny Jim]

Fascinating article, thank you for posting it Torsten. I will have to try to get the full journal article when my internet is working faster.

Tea tree oil (100%, not diluted with etoh) has been my favourite topical antimicrobial for many years. I have always loved the way it tends to be absorbed and stick around in the skin whilst it kills microbes and protects the wound/pimple etc. One application seems to keep the effected area clean and protected for hours. I have always found it superior to metho, especially when used on pimples.

I hope they can get the funding to do a human trial. In fact it would be very sad if they don't get what they need.

[FancyPants]

There has been a lot of conjecture for decades over the link between cancer and pleomorphic bacteria, given Tea Tree oils' anti-fungal/antibacterial properties seems like there could more to it than just activating the bodies immune system.

Many researchers over the years have found that bacteria often plays a role in cancer. Everytime they publish their results they have their funding stopped and become targets for the AMA.

There's a lot money to be made from "treating" cancer with traditional methods even if they aren't very succesfull.

Bacteria & cancer

 

Wow, that's enlightening. And unsurprising regarding the gagging from parties who stand to make big profits from other methods of treatment and cure...

[Sonny Jim]

^^^

Sorry if I have misunderstood your post Fancy Pants but I think you have described the problem.

My understanding is that there is not much money to be made if the constituents used in the product are naturally present in the plant and not chemically altered. As far as I know you cant patent or own a plant i.e. you cant have an exclusive right to sell a plant product. You can make your own (with TGA approval)plant products and sell them retail. I would say that the same rules and regulations which apply to herbal medicine will apply to the tea tree product.

I think there are 2-3 adequate herbal and nutritional etc. They must be doing OK business wise, their products are in all health food shop and most pharmacies. Some of the bigger nutritional and herbal medicine companies will often conduct research on their own products, rarely human trials though. Naturally, these studies are a way of advertising and hold little credibility though most will contain very important data about constituent and stuff like how conditions/seasons effect constituents.

[gerbil]

my daughter had a spider bite produce a patch of sunken flesh the size of a 5cent peice,in about 6 hours.

tea tree oil at night,gone the next morning!

 

I've got what i think is a spider bite on my leg for the last few months, didn't notice it until a few days/weeks after it apparently happened, then its come up in a big hard lump and is as itchy as a full blown fresh bullant bite (had lots of big reactions them!) months down the track. Tried various creams and it just sort of holds it, but it looked like it was going to the flesh eating stage, spreading out and looking pretty bad, got to about two 50c pieces, tried the tea tree oil and the lump went over night, second treatment dried it up some more and the second/third day of treatment seems to be healing very well, looks like it will be gone by a few days time, excellent!

[Magicdirt]

I've got what i think is a spider bite on my leg for the last few months, didn't notice it until a few days/weeks after it apparently happened, then its come up in a big hard lump and is as itchy as a full blown fresh bullant bite (had lots of big reactions them!) months down the track. Tried various creams and it just sort of holds it, but it looked like it was going to the flesh eating stage, spreading out and looking pretty bad, got to about two 50c pieces, tried the tea tree oil and the lump went over night, second treatment dried it up some more and the second/third day of treatment seems to be healing very well, looks like it will be gone by a few days time, excellent!

 

What sort of tea tree oil are you using on that Gerbil ?

Is it 100% pure or one of the solutions that are available ?

[IceCube]

Here is the article:

Induction-of-necrosis-and-cell-cycle-arrest-in-murine-cancer-cell-lines-by-Melaleuca-alternifolia-(tea-tree)-oil-and-terpinen-4-ol_2010_Cancer-Chemotherapy-and-Pharmacology.pdf

Induction-of-necrosis-and-cell-cycle-arrest-in-murine-cancer-cell-lines-by-Melaleuca-alternifolia-(tea-tree)-oil-and-terpinen-4-ol_2010_Cancer-Chemotherapy-and-Pharmacology.pdf

Induction-of-necrosis-and-cell-cycle-arrest-in-murine-cancer-cell-lines-by-Melaleuca-alternifolia-(tea-tree)-oil-and-terpinen-4-ol_2010_Cancer-Chemotherapy-and-Pharmacology.pdf

Edited July 27, 2010 by IceCube

[gerbil]

yeah the 100% oil b0sist0s brand magicdirt.

[weedRampage]

Someone told me years ago that they treated a small skin cancer with tea tree oil

[synchromesh]

No wonder I haven't changed soaps in a long time.