ABSTRACT
Tea tree oil is the volatile oil obtained from the leaves and terminal branchlets of either the narrow-leaf tea tree Melaleuca alternifolia Cheel, the flax-leaf tea tree Melaleuca linariifolia Smith, or the creek tea tree Melaleuca dissitiflora F. Muell. Melaleuca alternifolia is a tall shrub or small tree up to 15 meters high with a bushy crown and papery bark. This tree is native to Australia; the natural occurrence area is the northern coastal region of New South Wales, bordering Queensland. Tea tree oil, which is obtained from the leaves by steam-distillation, has been reported to have multiple biological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antitumoral, analgesic and biocidal. Tea tree oil is sold diluted and highly concentrated up to undiluted to the public. Tea tree oil is a colorless to pale yellow, clear mobile liquid which has a terpeny, coniferous and minty-camphoraceus odor.
