Tea tree oil faces ban over health fear | Science | Guardian Unlimited
Tea tree oil faces ban over health fear | Science | Guardian Unlimited (found via the Tao of Health)
Tea tree oil, the increasingly popular remedy for everything from spots to insect bites and vapour rubs, is under threat of being banned by the European Union. The EU has said that even small amounts of the undiluted oil could be unsafe and unstable after clinical trials found users risked rashes and allergies.The oil, which is derived from the Australian melaleuca tree and has been a traditional remedy among Australian Aboriginals for centuries, is famous for its antiseptic properties. Used by Australian troops for battlefield injuries in the First World War, it is now found in shower gels, toothpastes, mouthwash and face cleansers, to cure skin complaints, to treat cuts and burns, and as an insect and lice repellent.
As a native Floridian, I have a special distaste for melaleuca, shared by this writer.