title: Combination of essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia and iodine in the treatment of molluscum contagiosum in children.
abstract: Molluscum contagiosum is a common childhood viral skin condition and is increasingly found as a sexually transmitted disease in adults. Current treatment options are invasive, requiring tissue destruction and attendant discomfort. Fifty-three children (mean age 6.3+5.1 years) with the diagnosis of molluscum contagiosum were treated with twice daily topical application of either essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia (TTO), a combination of TTO and organically bound iodine (TTO-I), or iodine alone. At the end of 30 days, 48 children were available for follow up. A greater than 90% reduction in the number of lesions was observed in 16 of 19 children treated with TTO-I, while 1 of 16 and 3 of 18 children met the same criteria for improvement in the iodine and TTO groups (P<0.01, ANOVA) respectively by intention-to-treat analysis. No child discontinued treatment due to adverse events. The combination of essential oil of M. alternifolia with organically bound iodine offers a safe therapeutic alternative in the treatment of childhood molluscum. Clinical Trial Registry ACTRN12610000984099.
authors.affiliation: Center for Biomedical Research, Boise, ID, USA. drmarkum@cbrmed.org
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Markum
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baillie
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007455:Iodine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008976:Molluscum Contagiosum / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D020947:Tea Tree Oil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D004338:Drug Combinations; D020947:Tea Tree Oil; D007455:Iodine