Researchers found a combo of Melaleuca alternifolia essential oil with organically bound iodine offered a safe therapeutic alternative in the treatment of childhood Molluscum contagiosum, a common childhood viral skin condition (J Drugs Dermatol. 2012;11(3):349-354). Current treatment options are invasive, requiring tissue destruction and attendant discomfort.
In this study, 53 children (mean age 6.3+5.1 years) with the diagnosis of Molluscum contagiosum were treated with twice daily topical application of either M. 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-percent 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.
