
Facts About Antibacterial Essential Oils
- Studies have revealed that many essential oils have powerful antibacterial properties.
- With resistance to antibiotics on the increase, researchers are trying to find alternatives in nature and various essential oils hold a great deal of promise.
- Essential oils have far fewer side effects than synthetic medications.
Which essential oils are good tick repellents?
List of Plant and Essential Oil Tick Repellents
- Citronella
- Catnip oil
- Geranium and rose geranium oil
- Oregano oil
- Clove oil
- Thyme oil
- Lily of the valley oil
- Nootkatone oil
- Vetiver oil
- Sandalwood oil
What are the best anti viral essential oils?
- 7 drops (3.52%) Eucalyptus Essential Oil (Eucalyptus globulus)
- 7 drops (3.52%) Cinnamon Essential Oil (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)
- 6 drops (3.00%) Rosemary Essential Oil (Rosmarinus officinalis)
- 2 drops (1.04%) Carrot Seed Essential Oil (Daucus carota)
- 8-9 ml (88.90%) Camelina Oil (Camelina sativa) or amount needed to fill 10 ml bottle
What are the negative effects of essential oils?
- Eucalyptus is soothing but it can cause seizures if ingested.
- Chamomile can help you unwind, but people with allergies to ragweed, daisies and other plants may have severe reactions .
- Peppermint is loved for the cooling effect it has on skin but it's also known to cause skin rashes, burning and flushing, among other side effects.
What is the strongest natural antifungal?
- Tea tree essential oil which is a very potent oil which is effective against various yeast infections. ...
- Thyme Essential oil is one of the very best essential oils when it comes to treating stubborn yeast infections. ...
- Oregano essential oil was actually found to be the most effective of all the essential oils tested against candida. ...

Which essential oil is the strongest antibacterial?
Most notably, the oils of oregano, tea tree, eucalyptus, and peppermint have been found to contain the strongest antibacterial and antifungal properties. Other studies have found that lemongrass and orange are also among the oils effective against bacterial strains.
Which essential oils are antibacterial and antiviral?
Essential oils such as Tea Tree, Thyme, Clove, and Cinnamon all contain antibacterial, antiviral, AND antifungal properties.
What is the best essential oil for disinfecting?
The lavender and tea tree essential oils both have natural disinfecting properties. Tea tree oil is also antiviral and antifungal.
What oils are antifungal and antibacterial?
Six essential oils (from oregano, thyme, clove, lavender, clary sage, and arborvitae) exhibited different antibacterial and antifungal properties.
What carrier oils are antibacterial?
The carrier oils that could be identified as enhancing the antimicrobial activity and decreasing the cytotoxicity were Aloe vera Mill. and Simmondsia chinensis C.K. Schneid (Jojoba oil), with an overall reduction in essential oil cytotoxicity of 87.5% at 24 hrs and 85% at 48 hrs by A. vera.
Are essential oils as effective as antibiotics?
Four plant-based essential oils have been shown to be effective alternatives to antibiotics for treating a range of commonly-occurring pathogens in farmed fish.
Do essential oils actually disinfect?
They help deodorize surfaces. Since they have fresh scents, they also make your home smell good. Some older research has shown that essential oils might have disinfectant properties. They may be effective against viruses and bacteria.
Do essential oils sanitize the air?
Unfortunately, essential oils do not improve indoor air quality. In fact, they actually worsen indoor air quality when used in diffusers. Using aroma oils on your skin, in a bath or shower, simply smelling the oil or using dry evaporation methods are generally fine for indoor air quality.
Does peppermint oil disinfect?
Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) oil is a powerful antimicrobial disinfectant with a lovely, minty scent. It also pairs well with other oils, such as lavender.
Which oil is an excellent antibiotic?
The most active oils were oregano, thyme, lemon and lavender. MiEO of oregano managed to achieve bactericidal effect at concentrations as low as 0.1–6.3% v/v on all tested bacteria. The aqueous extracts showed generally lower bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity, ranging from 6.3% to >50% v/v.
Which essential oil is the strongest antifungal?
Thyme essential oil (Thymus vulgaris) is already known to be effective against fungi infecting humans. Its antifungal activity is due to its high concentration of thymol and carvacrol [20].
Is frankincense oil antibacterial?
Frankincense essential oils from Boswellia sacra have been commonly used to treat microbial infections from as early as the 11th century.
Is eucalyptus antibacterial and antiviral?
Numerous examples illustrate the phytopharmacological potential of essential oils obtained from Eucalyptus. These compounds are recognized for their broad spectrum of action, such as antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-immunomodulatory, antioxidant, and wound healing properties.
What herbs are antibacterial and antiviral?
The presented herbal antimicrobial agents in this review include clove, portulaca, tribulus, eryngium, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, thyme, pennyroyal, mint, fennel, chamomile, burdock, eucalyptus, primrose, lemon balm, mallow, and garlic, which are all summarized.
Is tea tree oil antibacterial and antiviral?
Given its widely known antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties, Melaleuca alternifolia essential oil, also named Tea tree oil (TTO), is recognized as a potential effective and safe natural disinfectant agent.
What essential oils are effective against bacteria?
Essential oils have been known to exhibit antibacterial properties for a very long time. A study was conducted using 52 different essential oils against various bacterial strains, including candida, salmonella and staph infections, along with skin infections and pneumonia. Two oils that the study specifically noted as being most effective were thyme essential oil and vetiver oil. This is why many pharmaceuticals may be looking to plant extracts to play a role in medicine and as preservatives. ( 7)
What essential oils are good for bacterial infections?
What I’ve found in clinical practice and consistent in medical literature is that oregano, cinnamon, thyme and tea tree oils are some of the most effective antibacterial essential oils for fighting bacterial infections. 1. Cinnamon Oil.
What oils are used to treat staph?
Several oils were studied at the Department of Biological Sciences at Manchester Metropolitan University against various staph infections, including patchouli oil, tea tree oil, geranium oil, lavender oil and grapefruit seed extract. They were used individually and in various combinations to evaluate how effective they may be in providing antibacterial activity against “three strains of Staphylococcus aureus specifically Oxford S. aureus NCTC 6571 (Oxford strain), Epidemic methicillin-resistant S. aureus (EMRSA 15) and MRSA (untypable).”
Why are essential oils uncomfortable?
It’s no wonder that some people are uncomfortable when going to hospitals due to the numerous infections that are found there. Several essential oils were tested against Staphylococcus aureus ( MRSA ), which can cause severe problems with infections involving soft tissue, bone or implants.
What is the best medicine for staph infection?
4. Tea Tree Oil. Tea tree oil is an amazing alternative to fighting bacteria topically. Research out of India showed that tea tree oil was effective against E. coli and staph infections when combined with eucalyptus, one of my recommendations for helping fight infections found in chest colds.
What is the best treatment for bacterial infections?
Many of my patients have great results against bacterial infections when working with a protocol that includes antibacterial essential oils, bone broth and probiotics.
Why are antibiotics not effective?
At the same time, many antibiotics are not effective at killing bacteria at all because the infection you’re trying to fight becomes resistant to the medication due to its widespread use. Hand sanitizers are the perfect example of this antibacterial overkill.
Which essential oil is the strongest antibacterial?
We saved the best for last. Cinnamon Essential Oil has good research showing it to be potentially one of the strongest antibacterial essential oils.
What is the best antibacterial oil?
According to research, cinnamon essential oil is the most effective antibacterial oil of all but it is closely followed by various other oils including tea tree oil, thyme oil, and oregano.
Why is oregano essential oil used?
Oregano was also used in food to shield it from the proliferation of bacteria. Oregano essential oil is also recognized for its great medicinal properties. Viral and bacterial infections do not stand a chance against this essential oil.
Why is eucalyptus essential oil used in skin care products?
For this reason, eucalyptus essential oil is often used in skin care products because it helps fight skin infections and soaps.
What is peppermint oil used for?
Native to Europe and widely used for its bright effervescent flavor, peppermint essential oil has also been widely used for its medicinal properties.
What is the best essential oil for wounds?
1) Eucalyptus. This powerful disinfecting essential oil is native to Australia and has long been used for medicinal purposes due to its reputation as being a germicide. This germicidal quality makes it an antiseptic, which means it is suitable to treat wounds, burns, cuts, ulcers, sores, and abrasions.
What essential oil is good for acne?
Lavender essential oil is especially effective in treating acne because it inhibits the growth of bacteria while speeding up the healing process of the blemishes. This healing oil also helps to speed up the healing of wounds, cuts, burns, and sunburns while preventing the formation of scar tissue.
Which essential oil is the most effective for bacteria?
According to a study by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, orange essential oil is one of four oils that is most effective on all 22 strains of bacteria. [ 1] . The study tested the effectiveness of ten essential oils and measured their effectiveness as antibacterial agents.
What is the best antibacterial oil for oral rinse?
1. Peppermint Essential Oil. Peppermint essential oil has many uses that range from a topical to an oral rinse. It is a complex oil that has been used as herb, flavoring, and more for thousands of years. Its versatility as one of the antibacterial essential oils makes peppermint a top choice for most health concerns.
How many strains of bacteria does Palma Rosa oil treat?
Palma rosa essential oil was one of the ten essential oils tested against 22 strains of bacteria in a study that appeared on the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s site [ 1 ]. Palma rosa essential oil was shown to be an effective treatment against 21 one of those bacterial strains.
What is lavender essential oil?
Lavender Essential Oil. Lavender essential oil, like peppermint essential oil, has a long and rich history as a versatile treatment for many different conditions. Lavender is prized for its ability to help reduce emotional stress, improve sleep, and even to help us look younger.
What is the purpose of oregano oil?
Oregano Essential Oil. Oregano essential oil is an oil made from an herb that was used in early civilizations to help prevent food from spoiling. That history points strongly to this essential oil as both an antifungal and antibacterial agent.
What is the best essential oil for wounds?
Learn more about peppermint essential oil here. 2. Tea Tree Essential Oil. Tea Tree essential oil has a long history as a curative and tool for wound treatment. And now it seems to be the new wonder ingredient in many products. It has a strong, pungent odor and powerful antibacterial action.
Why is Citronella essential oil used in aromatherapy?
Citronella essential oil is potent and its use in aromatherapy helps to relieve respiratory infections and inflammation. It is often part of anti-aging products because it has a positive effect against free radicals.
What are essential oils?
Essential oils, odorous and volatile products of plant secondary metabolism, have a wide a …. In recent years there has been an increasing interest in the use of natural substances, and some questions concerning the safety of synthetic compounds have encouraged more detailed studies of plant resources. Essential oils, odorous and volatile products ...
Do essential oils have antimicrobial properties?
In recent years (1987-2001), a large number of essential oils and their constituents have been investiga ted for their antimicrobial properties against some bacteria and fungi in more than 500 reports.
What is essential oil?
Essential oils (EOs) are defined as volatile secondary metabolites of plants that give the plant a distinctive smell, taste, or both. EOs are produced by more than 17,500 species of plants from many angiosperm families, e.g., Lamiaceae, Rutaceae, Myrtaceae, Zingiberaceae, and Asteraceae, but only about 300 of them are commercialized [1]. Compounds included in the EOs are synthesized in the cytoplasm and plastids of plant cells through the pathways of malonic acid, mevalonic acid, and methyl-d-erythritol-4-phosphate (MEP). They are produced and stored in complex secretory structures, such as glands, secretory cavities, and resin conduits, and are present as drops of liquid in the leaves, stems, flowers and fruits, bark, and roots of plants. Despite containing two or three main components at a level of 20–70%, EOs are very complex mixtures of mainly terpenes, terpenoids, and phenylpropanoids. They may also contain many other compounds, such as fatty acids, oxides, and sulfur derivatives [2].
Why are herbs and essential oils used?
Herbs and the essential oils derived from them have been used from the beginning of human history for different purposes. Their beneficial properties have been applied to mask unpleasant odors, attract the attention of other people, add flavor and aroma properties to prepared dishes, perfumes, and cosmetics, etc. Herbs and essential oils (EOs) have also been used in medicine because of their biological properties, such as larvicidal action, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidant, fungicide, and antitumor activities, and many more. Many EOs exhibit antimicrobial properties, which is extremely important in fields of science and industry, such as medicine, agriculture, or cosmetology. Among the 250 EOs which are commercially available, about a dozen possess high antimicrobial potential. According to available papers and patents, EOs seem to be a potential alternative to synthetic compounds, especially because of the resistance that has been increasingly developed by pathogenic microorganisms. In this review we summarize the latest research studies about the most-active EOs that are known and used because of their antimicrobial properties. Finally, it is noteworthy that the antimicrobial activities of EOs are not preeminent for all strains. Further investigations should, thus, focus on targeting EOs and microorganisms.
What is lavender oil?
Lavender EO is a colorless or pale yellow liquid with a characteristic odor. The chemical composition is well known, with detailed data specified in the European Pharmacopoeia 9, Polish Pharmacopoeia VIII, and PNISO (Polish ISO standard) 3515: 2004. Lavender EO is obtained after distillation with water vapor of fresh or dried tips of blooming plants. The main components are Renantiomers of linalool (20–45%) and linalyl acetate (25 to 46%). The high content of these ingredients determines the quality of the oil. The content of other ingredients should be in the following ranges: limonene (>1.0%), eucalyptol (<2.5%), camphor (>1.2%), terpin-4-ol (0.1–6.0) %), lawandulol (<0.1%), lavandulyl acetate (<0.2%), and α-terpineol (>2.0%). Due to the incalculable influence on the scent, lavender oil should not contain too much ocymen, cineole, camphor, or terpin-4-ol [15,16].
Does lavender oil cause dysentery?
The activity of lavender EO against Shigella flexneri, which causes dysentery, has also been demonstrated [22]. Researchers have found that antimicrobial activity of this EO is a result of the synergistic action of major and minor components of the essential oil. In turn, using commercial L. angustifoliaMill. EO (Pollena Aroma, Warsaw), it was shown that the non-sporulating Gram-negative bacteria from the Enterobacteriaceaefamily (MBC = 1.25 and 2.5 mg/mL) were more sensitive to essential oil than Gram-positive S. aureusbacteria (MBC = 5 mg/mL) [23].
Does lavender oil help with burns?
In dermatology, lavender EO can be used to treat ulcers, burns, and scarring that are difficult to cure. An extensive review of the properties of many different oils, including lavender EO, in relation to the pathogens responsible for dermatological diseases is detailed in Orchard et al. [18]. It is worth noting that the EO of L. angustifoliaMill. has a strong antiseptic effect against antibiotic-resistant strains, e.g., Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) resistant to methicillin or vancomycin-resistant strains of Enterococcussp. (VRE) [19,20]. Lavender EO is also active against the strain of E. coliJ53 R1 resistant to piperacillin. Essential oil caused the strain’s sensitivity to this antibiotic by altering the permeability of the outer membrane, as demonstrated by decreased bioluminescence. The activity of lavender EO against 24 strains of L. monocytogeneswas also tested (minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) 2.5–5.0 μL/mL). In the case of L. monocytogenesL120 resistant to chloramphenicol, the MIC was 1.3 μL/mL [21].
Does lavender oil help with respiratory infections?
Lavender EO also has antibacterial activity against clinical strains of bacteria, which were isolated from patients with respiratory tract infections [24]. It is used to treat infections of the mouth, throat, upper respiratory tract, and lungs [25]. In addition, antibacterial activity may be accompanied by an immunostimulatory effect. After inhalation, no sputum bacteria were found in the essential oil, while the symptoms and increased chemiluminescence of granulocytes were alleviated and the incidence of infections was reduced in patients with bacterial respiratory infections [19]. Haemophilus influenzaemay be responsible for such infections and lavender EO inhibited the growth of strains that were resistant to erythromycin or amoxycycline [25].
What is the best oil to use for cleaning?
Lavender Essential Oil. An antibacterial heavyweight, this floral oil is an easy choice for natural cleaning wherever you are—that’s why it’s so often found in soaps, shampoos, and sprays. It also smells soothing and calming, which is always a good thing. Use it: Phone cleaner.
What is the purpose of essential oils?
These oils—which smell amazing—can be used for a myriad of cleaning and cleansing purposes. Here are a few of our favourites.
What is the best antimicrobial for mouthwash?
Peppermint Essential Oil. It’s herbal, it’s potent, it’s oh-so minty. This antimicrobial oil has been loved by humans for centuries, and it’s no wonder why; the combination of its refreshing scent and cooling sensation makes it a forever favourite. Use it: Peppermint Mouthwash.
What is the best oil for steam rooms?
There’s a reason spa steam rooms use Eucalyptus —its invigorating herbal qualities open up our air pathways, and its antimicrobial properties help cleanse high-traffic spaces. This herbal oil is an instant refresh.
Is woodsy oil antimicrobial?
It’s anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial, making this woodsy oil a must have. Plus, its scent is comforting like a cedar sauna, bringing vibes of the forest and the spa to wherever you are. Use it: Cold and flu aroma.
Is antibacterial oil good for cleaning?
Known for its ability to treat ac ne, this astringent and antibacterial oil is also great for cleaning surfaces and accessories. Watch how it makes things sparkle and shine.
Is citrus oil good for you?
With antibacterial and antioxidant properties, this citrus oil is as useful as it is energizing. Just watch how it wakes up your senses while cleaning your home and promoting a happy-go-lucky disposition.
Why are essential oils good for germs?
Essential oils have potent effects against germs because of the complexity of their chemical make up. To protect ourselves from germs, it is a must to eliminate them from our environment and within us. To detoxify, clean and protect, use antibacterial essential oils that are naturally powerful against germs.
What is the best oil for the body?
Lavender Oil ( Lavandula angustifolia) The world’s most popular and versatile oils. Beloved for its natural healing properties. Encourages balance in all body systems. Works well in blends to enhance immune function. #12. Lemon Oil ( Citrus limon) Purifying effect on the body. Strong antimicrobial actions.
How to protect yourself from germs?
To protect ourselves from germs, it is a must to cleanse them from our environment and within us. To detoxify, clean and protect, use antibacterial essential oils that are naturally powerful against germs.
What does antibacterial mean?
Antibacterial simply means that it destroys or prevents growth of destructive bacteria.
Is disinfectant good for cleaning?
Disinfectant properties make it a top choice for natural cleaning. Supports a healthy immune system. As you can see, there are many essential oils that can help you fight germs. Use this list to cleanse the air and surfaces in your home and environment.
Can essential oils be used topically?
Today we know that essential oils from flowers and herbs have tremendous benefits when inhaled, ingested or applied topically. Researchers have found that essential oils could be a low-cost alternative solution to antibiotics and potentially help fight against drug-resistant super bugs in hospitals.

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- Cinnamon Essential Oil came out on top as the most potent antibacterial oil. (4) Cinnamon was effective at virtually all doses vs. all the bacteria tested. Cinnamon oil contains cinnamaldehyde which as you can guess is unique to Cinnamon. The other oils effective vs. all the bacterial species tested were: Rosemary, Geranium, Clove and the citrus oi...
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