Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hi, I am doing an experiment involving natural herbs inhibiting the growth of bacteria. I know that tea tree oil has been shown to work the best, but what makes it more effective than other herbs, such as peppermint? Is there a chemical difference, difference in the mechanism of action, etc.? Thanks

Hello,

This is an interesting question. Here is a link to a research paper on this topic http://aac.asm.org/cgi/content/short/46/6/1914, it might be a bit of a hard read but essentially it says that tea tree oil does not directly kill bacteria, but interferes with their cytoplasmic membrane, resulting in impaired cellular transportation and biochemical functions. This in turn causes bacterial death. Interestingly, this is similar to the mechanism of action of the beta-lactam class of antibiotics, which impair bacteria's ability to build and repair cell walls (not cell membranes).

Hope this helps,
Nithin T.