title: Antibacterial effect of tea-tree oil on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation of the tympanostomy tube: an in vitro study.
abstract: The antibacterial effects of tea-tree oil against the formation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) biofilm on the surface of the tympanostomy tubes was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Silicone tympanostomy tubes were pretreated with normal saline for 12 hours, the control group (n=4), with 100% tea-tree oil, experimental group A (n=3), or with 50% tea-tree oil, experimental group B (n=3). All the tubes were incubated in a MRSA solution for 2 days and then processed for evaluation using scanning electron microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The development of the biofilm mode of growth of MRSA was observed in the saline-treated control group. In contrast, only focal biofilms were present on the tube surface in experimental group A and considerable reduction of biofilm with destruction of the MRSA cells was shown in experimental group B.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  From these results, the antimicrobial effect of tea-tree oil against biofilm formation on tympanostomy tubes in vitro has been verified.
authors.affiliation: College of Natural Science, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea.
authors.forename: Haekyun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Chul-Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Yong Bum
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Cheol-Hee
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018441:Biofilms; D004864:Equipment and Supplies / Q000382:microbiology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008876:Middle Ear Ventilation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects*; D020947:Tea Tree Oil / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D020947:Tea Tree Oil