Essential Oils Fight MRSA

Aeroscena® believes that essential oils are one of the safest and most effective agents available to treat a multitude of medical issues, including anxiety, ADHD and insomnia.  And while aromatherapy is by far the most common way to utilize essential oils, scientists are beginning to open up to the possibility of other effective applications for these highly-complex natural compounds.

In fact, the University of California at Santa Cruz is conducting clinical trials utilizing 18 different essential oils to discover which may be effective against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus -- known to most as MRSA (MURR-sah).

Says Scott Lokey, lead researcher, professor of chemistry and biochemistry at UCSC and director of the UCSC’s chemical screening center, "It’s an arms race that we’re locked into—bacteria seem to have an intelligence of their own." 

While the use of essential oils may be historically associated with those harboring new-age, quasi-bohemian beliefs, the fact is that these oils are actually comprised of a very complex mixture of phytochemicals, which may be the key to their effectiveness against drug-resistant infections. This complexity means bacteria are less likely to develop resistance—especially against a blend of several oils and the various compounds they each contain.

Elizabeth Jones, founder and director of the College of Botanical Healing Arts (COBHA) where the studies are taking place, says that fiery oils like oregano are proving to be most effective. "They have a benzine ring in them, which is like a six-sided figure with a circle in the middle, and it makes them very hot and fiery—and antiseptic. They are the big guns.”

“So it turns out that thyme [also a phenol] and oregano had the lowest MIC [minimum inhibitory concentration]. That means that they killed at the lowest dose—and it was really pretty low. It’s about at a level that you could put in some kind of ointment or liquid and apply it to a surface and it would kill it.”

Responsible for approximately 86 percent of all healthcare-associated infections, MRSA kills 18,650 people annually in the U.S, according to the Public Health Foundation.  However, the organization Map MRSA (mapmrsa.org) believes that underreporting of the infection is common, and that the actual number of deaths may be closer to 90,000. 

Aeroscena® believes essential oils are an integral part of fighting drug-resistant infection, and is in the process of testing various blends against airborne bacteria. We hope to find a way to help control the spread of disease in both hospital and home environments by effective, natural means via the use of diffused essential oils.  

For more information about Aeroscena® and our Ascents® essential oil-based health solutions, visit shopascents.com.