Histological and Histomorphometric Evaluation of Pharmacological Action of the Essential Oil of Melaleuca Alternifolia on Healing of Infected Alveolitis in Experimental Animals

Tea tree oil (TTO) is the essential oil obtained from the Australian native plant Melaleuca alternifolia. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the possible healing effect of TTO against infectious Alveolitis induced by Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538P) in extracted socket of mongrel dogs. Infection in each alveolus have been induced and treated as the follows: the positive control group, the group treated with tea tree gel, the group treated with tea tree gel + vancomycin hydrochloride, and the group treated with tea tree oil. Histological examinations of the present work revealed that tea tree gel succeeded to promote healing of the extracted sockets and prevented dental alveolitis either alone or in combination with vancomycin. However, the healing effect and antimicrobial activity was pronounced in the animals treated with tea tree gel only followed by combination with vancomycin and finally group treated with tea tree oil.